Population Bomb
by sfjoellen
Summary: Slightly AU in the Prologue, AU at the end of Goblet of Fire H/HR
1. Prolgue

"But they are the worst kind of Muggles Albus!"

Dumbeldore nodded. They were the worst kind of anyone, not just Muggles. There was no denying the odiousness of Petunia and Vernon Dursley.

"I will watch Minerva, however, in this is the place beyond all others he will be safe from Voldemort."

"But Albus, this is Lily's sister. She hates magic and anything to do with magic. She won't care for him!"

"She may rise above herself Minerva; I have left her a letter."

McGonagall did respect and admire Albus. He was a great wizard. He was a genius. He was a good man. He was blind in some areas. That people could be fundamentally flawed and unwilling to work for redemption was beyond his comprehension. Minerva tried again.

"That is insufficient Headmaster. The boy needs love and will receive none here. Get him someone who will care for him now or I will announce his location. At least a house elf Headmaster. Someone **must** love him if he is to be a decent man. If you leave him to the muggles there is a good chance for another monster."

Dumbeldore was nothing if not kind.

"I will do as you suggest Minerva. A house elf is the perfect solution. Tippy!"

Tippy popped into being beside the two Professors.

"Yes Master Headmaster sir?"

She was tiny and vaguely green with large eyes, eyes the size of tennis balls, and long ears. She looked like she could have been a relative of Yoda. Her bow would have been obsequious on a being of more imposing presence, on a being of her less than intimidating stature her bow was comically overdone.

"Tippy would you like to be bound to the House of Potter and to care for little Harry? You will not be able to speak to anyone about him, or where he is. You will be able to care for him and I will want to know how he is, as well as Professor McGonagall. Will you bind yourself to House Potter and Master Harry Potter?"

Her tiny squeaky voice was soft.

"Care for Harry Potter sir? Harry Potter would be my master?"

The greatest wizard in the world nodded.

"Yes Tippy, you would serve Master Harry Potter. Will you?"

Her previous bow had been a model of restraint, this bow was a gesture of worship.

"Yes Professor Headmaster sir, I would be honored to serve Master Harry sir."

"As magical guardian of Harry Potter I accept your service to House Potter and wish you well in your care of young Harry. I will be speaking to you at least monthly, if you require anything please do let me or Professor McGonagall know, we will see to it. Tippy the muggles may not know of your presence. You must not let them see you or know of you."

Tippy bowed once and sprinted to the bundled baby sleeping on the steps of Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.

The Headmaster and the Professor stood and watched as Tippy settled next to young Harry, her eyes shone in the gleam of moonlight. Professor McGonagall nodded and shifted to her cat form. She trotted to the door step and settled in for the night with Harry, she would stand guard with Tippy and keep Harry warm in the chill of the evening. The Headmaster tipped his stupid hat and returned the lights to Privet Drive, then with a very faint snap he disappeared.

The next morning Petunia Dursley was shocked to discover that her son would be raised in the company of the Boy Who Lived. Her screeching was the topic of gossip for many days on Privet Drive. She had managed to get the bundle inside before the neighbors spotted her. Mrs. Number Three was just opening her curtains to ascertain the whereabouts of the banshee wailing as Petunia whisked little Harry inside. Tippy scooted in with Harry. She was unseen, a creature of magic, made invisible by a minor spell to distract the muggles.

Tippy was in love. Young Harry was a cheerful baby, happy and easy to care for. He had become the center of her huge elven heart in mere days. House elves are strange creatures, and Tippy not least strange among them. She was brilliant and devious in her service to her Master and his House. The Dursleys never had a chance. As much as they ignored Harry she was with him. As often as they called him freak and unnatural her hand was folded into his, her voice whispered in his ear that they were wrong, and mean and that she loved him no matter what. When Harry wasn't fed by the Dursleys he was by Tippy. When he was ill she nursed him and held him when he cried and changed his nappys and fussed over him and sang him to sleep. She made him cake and got him presents for his birthday and Christmas and got some from him in return.

They were a family in a battle zone. They adapted. It wasn't the best thing but it was life as they had to live it and there was beauty in it. Tippy would stand with him and protect him from all she could. Once Harry started school she went with him and would attend his classes with him. She was better able to protect him at school than at home and made sure that the depredations of Dudley and his gang were countered much more often than not. Occasionally they were caught out by Dudders and company. Once Harry had apparated himself to the school roof while being pursued by Dudley and his boys. Harry had to live with that one, Tippy couldn't get to him when his principal had already seen him by the chimneys. Harry's first marking was excellent which earned him a beating from the senior whale on station, Vernon. Tippy had never considered that doing well would be punished. After that beating she charmed his schoolwork and reports so that he appeared to be doing less well than the odious Dudley. Harry developed a love of learning. Initially the more he learned and the better he learned it the more he felt he was getting over on the Dursleys. Eventually Tippy and Harry learned for the pleasure of learning.

Harry, for his part, loved Tippy to distraction and would talk to her often during his day. Harry spent quite a bit of time in the school nurses office when he was overheard murmuring to his invisible companion. That Tippy was also receiving a good education while helping with his homework and attending classes with him was a side benefit not even the Headmaster had considered. They learned to read together, and spell and do maths, and read history books and literature. They would sit in the magically expanded cupboard under the stairs at their desks doing the days assignments, then switching papers and comparing results and discussing their differences. Often Tippy was right even if the muggle schools considered her wrong.

She had many years experience in a world unknown to them, unknown to all but the house elves of the magical world and a hard cold world it was. She had born a child and had her Dobby taken from her by her master to sell. When she had objected to losing her Dobby she had been beaten and given clothes. She had looked for her Dobby as long as she could, she never stopped looking for him. She had come to Hogwarts looking for work. An elf without work and a family died in a matter of months. The Headmaster had accepted her service many years ago. She had served but always missed having a more personal relationship with a family. Her education with Harry and her experience with the Lestrange family eventually allowed her to believe that she had done nothing wrong when she objected to losing her child.

It was mid August and Harry had just turned eight. Tippy and Harry were coming back to Number 4 from the library having gotten some novels and a feminist history of the middle ages. They were looking into the Inquisition and witch hunts. The driver was drunk and speeding, he never saw Harry who was absorbed in his novel step into the street in front of him. Tippy popped to Harry and Banished him out of the way of the Range Rover. She didn't have time to get clear herself and died instantly on impact.

Harry never had a chance to tell her how much she meant to him, how wonderful she was, what a great friend, parent, companion she was. He had said those things in his little boy way, but it didn't seem enough, it hadn't been enough, what could be enough?

She lay broken by the huge vehicle, still, dead. He picked her up and wandered towards Number 4, not having any place other than that to go. Mrs. Finch saw him tottering down the street with the corpse of Tippy in his little arms, tears streaming down his face. She had watched them from afar, seeing them almost daily at play in the little park, walking about. They usually held hands and were laughing, often about the muggles. She dashed out of the door and got to him before he made it to Number 4. Tiny old woman that she was, she scooped Harry up and carried them both, Harry and Tippy, into her little house. The Headmaster and Professor McGonagall were in the house in minutes.

There were just the four of them at the tiny pyre for Tippy the next day. Harry, Mrs. Finch, the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall watched as the flames took the casket holding little Tippy's remains. The Headmaster murmured something to the embers followed by a white flash of magic. A small stone was tucked into the corner of the back garden. The inscription was simple "Here lies Tippy loving friend and companion" Harry would often think that the stone could just as well have been for one of Mrs. Finch's cats.

Tippy had loved Harry in his formative years. He had not an easy childhood but he knew without question that he was loved. He would move her to the Potter's private cemetery plot; James, Lily and Tippy, his dad and mums with space for Harry and his family.


	2. Chapter 1 Night Fight

Harry landed in a heap next to Cedric. They were in a cemetery with clouds chasing the moon across the night sky. The Triwizard Cup lay between them. "Wands out you reckon?" Cedric spoke in the faintest of whispers. "Aye, and Ced can you Disillusion us?" Harry felt the icy sensation of the spell taking hold. "Ced we need to put these guys down, no stunners, this is likely Voldemort and his Eaters." Cedric choked but muttered "Aye" his voice nearly steady.

In the distance they heard shuffling steps, wheezing breath – a grinding sound. Harry felt jitters start to overwhelm him, he wanted to run, or scream, or kill something. His pulse raced and his vision narrowed. Saliva flushed his mouth, he swallowed hard and took a deep lungful of cool night air, let it out slowly. Cedric and Harry aimed their wands in the direction of the noise. They crept forward looking for whatever was making the scuffling and grunting.

The two split up and moved at an angle to either side of the noise. A small round figure was pushing the largest cauldron Harry had ever seen into place before a grave. Harry cast a Reducto and missed the man but blew a hole in the cauldron showering the figure with glowing hot iron shrapnel. Wormtail fell back screeching, peppered with iron shards. Harry's scar exploded with pain. Harry dropped to his knees screaming. From a little mound of rags beside Wormtail came a voice, a high hissing voice, hardly speech at all, not human, so full of hate that Harry's blood froze. "Kill the spare."

Wormtail rolled and barked the Killing Curse. Cedric dodged, fired an Incarcerous which caught the little man rolling him along the ground bound in magical ropes. Harry had an instant of relief and cast a Reducto at the bundle on the ground as Cedric cast a disarming spell at Pettigrew. The explosive force of the blasting curse almost flattened the thing by the grave. A wailing, a cry, the cry of dead children stained the air from the mass and Harry hit it again with Incindeo. Horror flicking through him like the flames he had set to the twisted thing Riddle had become. Flames slowly crept over the bundle seemingly reluctant to burn it, reluctant to touch it.

'Harry! Behind you!' Harry rolled away from the strike of a huge snake. Stone and fangs sprayed from the headstone the monster had hit. "_My master burns, your soul is mine human." _ Harry staggered to his feet. _"Nagini we are going to kill you just as we killed your master." _Cedric's blasting hex hurled the snake away from Harry. 'Get the cup Cedric, it's a portkey, send the other wizard back with it!' Cedric had summoned the cup to their captive. Wormtail ported out in whirl of colors.

Harry was in full battle mode now, his thinking sharp and reactions at game tune. He sent a bludgeoning hex at the snake. Nagini writhed and spat, a bit dazed from the attack. This was one tough snake. Harry backed up a bit and hit the ground right in front of her with a blasting hex. She flew into the air and smacked into a mausoleum. "Ced hit the area around her with blasters, she is resistant to magic, we have to kill her with physical damage!" Nagini was stunned for a second by the impact and Harry sent a flurry of blasting hexes as close to her as he could. She screamed and coiled, wounds opening from the debris that had lanced into her. Nagini headed for him again. He banished her into a stone monument with a hard meaty smack and launched another round of blasting hexes aimed just under her head followed by a Banishing hex that tossed her into another headstone. More wounds opened in her hide but didn't seem to bother her at all.

Ced ran towards the snake firing Incendio at the smoldering lump by the grave as he passed. This latest curse seemed to overcome the fire resistance, the bundle imploded with a soft whump of fierce flame. The dying shriek of an evil spirit tore from the bundle. Harry dropped to the ground again, felled by another burst of pain. A shade pulsed into the air from the pyre, a red eyed shade of endless malice. It dove into the snake and suddenly the snakes eyes glowed red with hell fire. _"Now Potter I will kill you, Nagini will suffice for this minor task." _Harry was in too much pain to be clever all he could come up with was_ "Not today Riddle. We are going to fuck you again."_

Cedric's luck was with him and his blasting curse caught the snake just on a wound that Harry had opened up. The snake blew into bloody bits showering them both with gore, dirt and scales. A keening cry went up, a green snake form seeped from the dying reptile. The boys backed away, more frightened now than they had yet been. Eyes of hate, pitiless, red slit eyes with a terrible intelligence probed at the boys. The shade was getting stronger. Harry screamed and writhed as the shade drifted closer. His scar was splitting his head open, blood seeping from it, the pain overwhelming. Cedric cast his Patronus which seemed to shield Harry a little. The patronus didn't stop the shade, the shade brushed the Patronus aside and dove for Harry.

Riddle had been denied his new body, burnt out of the husk created of dark magic and venom - then blown out of a destroyed Nagini. All was not according to plan. The reason for his trouble was this green eyed insignificant piece of mewling quivering shit in front of him. He attacked. He stormed into the boys defenseless mind and began to take control. The boy was wide open, no shields, no barriers. It should have been a cake walk.

Riddle poured hate and horror into the child, the memory of his parents murder, the memory of all the torture and killings that he had committed to become who he was, or for sport, or because he was bored. Soon the child was begging for death, praying for his parents, his headmaster, his friends, anyone to save him from this terrible soul that filled him. Harry was forced into a final corner and knew he didn't have the power to stop Riddle. He reached for the parents he couldn't remember. As his connection with his physical body weakened, as Riddle felt triumph, Harry connected to his parents. Harry was filled with their love and a surge of power so strong it was an explosion that ejected Riddle from Harry in an instant and in agony.

Fawkes flashed into the air over Harry, his golden light and battle song filling the air. He dove at the shade of Riddle which was materializing again and herded it away from the boys. Cedric cast his Patronus, more for luck than anything. The shade of Riddle could not abide being near the phoenix. Fawkes slowly herded the thing away. It screamed frustration as it lost coherence. Even with Riddle's powers a soul couldn't act in the physical plane for long. After a few seconds of struggle with Riddle slowly giving ground and losing coherence, there was a blinding flash of white light, a lightning strike of magical force that lanced into Riddles shade from Harry, filling the cemetery as if the sun had taken residence there. No colors existed, there was dark or light. The shade of Tom Riddle shattered with a shriek. Cedric and Harry were blasted into unconsciousness. Fawkes gave a peal of triumph and flashed to his familiar.

Harry hung in a void knowing only that he was totally loved. He could feel them, see their outlines, almost see their faces. In that place between places Harry waited. Tom Marvelo Riddle had been judged and found wanting. The many hundreds of souls whose bodies he had tortured and killed, the grief of families destroyed all had a price that Tom would have to pay. Harry was filled with the faith and desire of all the others that were hoping for him now; the Weasleys, Remus, Sirius, his teachers and friends, Dobby and most especially of Ron and Hermione. He was filled with the love of those who mourned Riddle's victims. He became a vessel of their hope and their need for justice. He was filled with the power of those who had been harmed by Riddle and made an instrument of their cold judgment.

Riddle had been blown from Harry's mind, shattered and broken by a pain he had never imagined. Stronger magic than that Halloween so many years ago, Riddle felt the love of good people and the judgment waiting for him. In a life dominated by fear of death he now had an even greater fear. Fear of what was waiting for him in the life after death. They were waiting, all those against whom he had sinned. Tattered and broken, powerless, Riddle drifted away using all he had to be, just to be.

The Night Fight was over.

By the cauldron blankets smoldered, the twisted remains of something the size of an infant lying in them. Close by was the shattered wand of Lord Voldemort. Tom Riddle was dead again.

The rescue operation took only seconds. Albus cradled Harry in his arms, a tremulous sadness in his eyes. He could sense only the barest life in Harry. Pomona Sprout cradled her Huffelpuff proudly, he had proven himself as only one other had, he had fought and defeated Tom Riddle, he had stood with the Lion of Gryffindor. The professor and the headmasters studied the area, churned and blackened as by an artillery barrage, the shattered cauldron, crumbled headstones, the wisps of smoke from the abomination near the cauldron, the shattered wand, the gigantic smashed snake. "Accio wands" murmured Albus. Fawkes flashed in with the first of the Auror crime scene unit. Other Aurors followed in rapid succession. The Headmaster turned to the leader.

'We are taking our students to the infirmary. When they have recovered you will find them available.' There were two faint pops and Fawkes flashed away.

Hermione and Ron had been frantic when they saw Harry and Cedric disappear with the Cup. She had started to fight her way to the center of the maze, blasting through the hedges like a New Orleans hurricane, when suddenly the Cup returned on top of a bound, stunned Wormtail. Wormtail almost died from three different sources at that instant. Remus, Sirius and Mad Eye Moody were all a half second from killing him when Dumbledore threw a shield over the traitor and roared for the Aurors.

Kingsley had responded to the Headmaster and had taken calm charge of the prisoner. Even Sirius knew better than to mess with Kingsley. Wormtail was a guest of DMLE in a high security interrogation room inside of two minutes with aurors King trusted personally on guard. Their orders were to admit NO ONE other than Madam Bones and only after she had answered an identification question that caused the voice of the auror hearing it to soar three octaves when he squealed "REALLY?"

Hermione and Ron went back to waiting. She paced between Mad Eye and Dumbledore muttering steadily. Ron matched her steps and cursed constantly. Mad Eye looked increasingly nervous and Dumbledore looked increasingly interested in Mad Eye. From the castle the clarion call of a phoenix battle cry was heard quickly fading into the distance. Mad Eye cowered and edged to the shadows. Albus was just starting towards him when Fawkes flashed into being and landed on his shoulder. "Pomona come with me!" Professor Sprout wrapped her arms around Dumbledore as he grabbed Fawkes tail and shouted to Tonks 'Watch Moody!' They flashed from the maze. Tonks wheeled around looking for her mentor. The moments inattention was enough for the false Moody to escape into the crowd, slither outside the wards, and apparate away.

Just minutes later the Headmaster and Professor Sprout were back with their students. Hermione and Ron were right in front of Dumbledore, not letting him past, reaching frantically for Harry. "He will live Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, he is in no danger right now, please let me pass so that Madam Pomfrey may have the pleasure of deploring his activities yet again." Hermione started to breathe again, tears started, shaking began, her knees gave way. She felt like a puppet with the strings cut. "He will live." Were any words as welcome? Ron lifted her to her feet and they charged after the headmaster headed to the infirmary and another long night watching Harry heal.

Gently the boys were put to bed. Poppy came running, already angry with Harry for "doing it again after I told him to be careful!" Albus smiled knowing the deep affection she had for all her students especially the son of James and Lily.

Madam Pomfrey cast her diagnostic spells on the two heroes of the light. Cedric was in top shape, bruised and some small cuts, some muscle strain, but overall in excellent shape. His magical core was low but not dangerously so. He would be fine when he woke up. Harry was a different matter. She cast the diagnostic spell again to be sure. He was in a deep coma and his magical core was totally depleted If a magical person completely depleted their core, they often lost their ability to use magic. Harry had been completely drained in the struggle with Voldemort. She cleared the ward of everyone but the Headmaster, Cedric's parents, Molly and Arthur.

"Mr. Diggory will recover easily, he seems to be more asleep than anything, he will be fine with a good rest. Mr. Potter is in a coma. He has completely depleted his magical core. I can not detect any magic in him. I don't expect him to regenerate his core, once depleted totally it seldom recovers. He may not wake, I can not say. He is now physically well, but has suffered terrible psychic trauma."

As the evening wore on those closest to Harry gathered around his bed. He hadn't moved and seemed to barely breathe. His pulse was faint and very slow. He was ghostly pale and cool to the touch. He seemed to be dying. Hermione had one of his hands and refused to leave him. Mrs. Weasley had the other hand and was supported by her children who were standing vigil over their almost brother. Charlie would arrive in a few hours on emergency leave from Romania. The lions of Gryffindor prowled in and out of the ward checking on their friend. Professor McGonagall seemed to stop by every hour or so. Remus and Snuffles were in a corner watching and hoping. Just before midnight Charlie Weasley eased through the door with Hagrid. Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore were joined by Professor Sprout in a last check on their charges for the evening.

Hermione looked up from Harry at the assembled crowd. 'We have to try, he's slipping away. We have to do something. We have to let him know we need him and love him.' Dumbledore nodded to her. 'That may indeed be his only hope Miss Granger. Perhaps if we all place our hands over his heart and try to reach him with our love and our magic we might be able to call him to us.'

Hermione laid her hand on her Harry's heart and closed her eyes. She centered herself and drew her magic to her then sent it to Harry along with her love. She called to him in her mind, reaching for him, her true friend, and her hidden love. She called him to come back to her, to not leave her alone in the world. As the rest of Harry's chosen family placed their hands on hers she felt the magic and love of the others surge into him, the golden tide of Dumbledore, the homey tenderness of Molly, the gentle regard and deep affection of Lupin, the fierce wild untamed love of Sirius, the unquestioning love of Hagrid bigger than his giants heart. She felt the tenderness Ginny had for him, and her young womans desire for him, the affection of the twins, the warmth of Bill and Charlie, the support and love of Arthur for his almost son. Not least was Ron, who loved Harry so much more than he envied him. A huge amount of magic poured into Harry and trickled to an end.

Harry hung in the void at peace, all pain gone. It was a silvery white place, warm, comfortable, and featureless. He waited. Waiting was fine he didn't have anywhere to go did he? No, here was good, in the comfort, without any desire or duty, without obligation or that damn Riddle. He drifted at peace. Slowly the white place morphed into a darker place. He seemed to be slipping into darkness. He didn't like it, didn't want the change, he struggled to hold the dark back. He had no power here, no way to act, he couldn't even make a noise. The darkness grew to an complete inky black. Slowly he relaxed, there was still no pain but he liked the other place better. It seemed more hopeful. This just seemed empty. He waited. Maybe it's like the day and night? He remembered day and night. He remembered a little of who he was. Harry wasn't he? He had a vision of bushy hair and warm honey colored eyes with tiny golden flecks. He was sure that wasn't him though. He didn't look like that. She was beautiful and he knew her. He felt warm thinking about her. Far away he heard a whisper, "come back, I need you." The warmth in him grew and he wanted to go to the voice, it was a good voice, a voice he wanted to be near.

There was nothing to push against, no gravity or direction, he was floating free and lost. He felt a tug, and slowly light poured into him, the tug grew as he drifted faster and faster. Light filled him and warmth and hope. He rushed through the blinding silver light towards the voice and the pressure. He came back to himself and was merely asleep, he would wake when his body was ready. He would wake to a life that included honey eyes with the flecks of gold. It was enough.

Dobby had quietly moved to Harry's bedside through the litter of sleeping people. He went to the wizard he considered his master and took Harry's hand. Dobby was a magical creature and he easily sensed that his beloved Master Harry Potter was alive and mending well despite having very little magical core. The Headmasters attempt had been only faintly successful. Harry's loved ones had found his spirit adrift and had called him back, Dobby would do the rest. He called the elves of the castle to him and called to Hogwarts herself, bastion of ancient magic. Dobby was the conduit of a gift of every Hogwarts elf, a gift freely given, a gift of elven magic and of the magic of the Hogwarts.

Harry filled with a wild froth of elven and ancient magic as well as his own magic as his magical core rebuilt under the power pouring into him. Slowly the huge surge of magic filled the young lion as Dobby channeled power into him. Dobby held the connection as long as he could, and longer. The elves tried to break him free, but Dobby had a life debt to pay to his Harry Potter and pay it he would. Finally Hogwarts drew him back, this little one, the least of magical creatures would not die for his master tonight, the castle protected hers and Dobby was hers as she was his. Dobby sighed and released his masters hand and crawled onto the bed with him, falling asleep almost immediately. Harry would heal fully. He would wake up magical and more powerfully so.

The wisp of Riddle, so much less than a ghost, drifted. The struggle to maintain being took all his effort. He was not self directing. He was tiring. Eventually he used up the little energy he had left and awareness left him. He was the only a dream of a soul tied to the world by his evil. He would float in the depths of the possible until something vulnerable came within reach of him. He had no awareness that he was waiting.


	3. Chapter 2 The Very Next Day

Hermione stirred in her chair and sat up with a jolt. 'Harry' she murmured. She looked over to see that he was sleeping comfortably. Dobby was curled on Harry's bed. So was Snuffles. Harry's bed seemed to have taken on a non regulation size. Hermione resolved to tease Madam Pomfrey about it once Harry was safe from her. Perhaps at his funeral. The smile slid off her face. Remus was slumped in a chair. Various Weasleys were propped against any surface that seemed to offer ease. They were all covered by Hogwarts blankets. Hermione guessed that Madam Pomfrey had been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of bodies and decided it was just easier to let them all be. She grinned again imagining the muttering.

Cedric looked good, resting quietly, with Cho slumped asleep in a chair next to him. His parents were close by him. Hermione turned to Harry, leaned over and kissed his cheek. He looked much better today. The deathly pallor of last night was gone replaced by a healthy glow. He snapped and popped with magic, she could feel the power of him rippling with his breath. When he was very angry or intent he radiated power, but this level and while sleeping was way beyond what he normally could do. This felt like Dumbledore at full throttle. One worry down, one added.

Her stomach rumbled and she slipped out to get some food, get clean, and return to her vigil. He looked a lot better but he wouldn't be awake soon. Even if he did wake was there was Madam Pomfrey to contend with.

She was clean and dressed in short order, seated at the Gryffindor table when Nearly Headless Nick drifted up next to her for the latest in castle gossip. "Good Morning Miss Granger, quite the evening we had last night wasn't it? Haven't had that much excitement since, well since a few years ago, that damned Chamber you know." Hermione smiled and nodded. "Whats the news Sir Nick?" The ghost fluffed his ruff and adjusted his head. Glancing around to make sure they were well observed Nick lowered his voice for a nice quiet chat. "Last night there was a rather large drain on the magic of the castle. Nothing like it has happened before. Not in a thousand years. We ghosts don't know what caused the drain but of course speculation is that it would have something to do with Mr. Potter. Most things seem to." He arched a clearly inquisitive eyebrow at her. Hermione nodded vigorously. "I agree Nick, I spent the night with him, so far as I know he slept all night. Sometime in the night Dobby came in and joined him, I must have dropped off, I don't remember Dobby being there. Last night Madam Pomfrey couldn't detect his magical signature. Now I can feel his magic, even see it a bit around him. He seems to be overcharged, go take a look and tell me what you see?" Nick gave her an excited nod, tipped his head back upright and drifted purposefully towards the hospital wing. The Great Hall was quiet, the food rather spartan much to Hermione's surprise.

Her copy of the Daily Prophet was delivered and front and center was the full text of the Ministers pardon of Sirius. She jumped, squealed and headed back to the infirmary to inform a mutt he was now a Lord.

She was racing up the steps to the infirmary when Nick drifted out looking most puzzled. "Nick? What did you learn?" The ghost started as if she had frightened him, giving her a giggle. He harumphed. "He is chock full of magic. Castle magic, elven magic, his own magic, a lot of magic. I wonder how he will integrate them or if the ones that are not his own will simply drain away from him." "You could sense his own magic Nick?' "Oh yes, very easily, he has always been most powerful. However his level now is extraordinary."

Hermione thanked him and continued up the stairs Prophet in hand. People were stirring and stretching as she walked into the Infirmary, Ron was headed to the Great Hall for food, closely followed by the rest of the red heads. Remus was shoving at Snuffles who was growling at him, Dobby was still sleeping.

"Remus you should see today's Prophet, Sirius Black has been pardoned, its on the front page." She handed the paper to Remus who used it to slap the rapidly transforming Sirius. "Down boy, bad dog" Remus always a bastion of good manners and decorum was so happy he was yelling at his friend. "Sit boy, sit! Don't make me take the paper to you!" Sirius was trying to grab the paper from his fellow Marauder who seemed to love whapping him with it.

Madam Pomfrey bustled into her ward all primed to restore order and skidded to a halt, eyes bulging. She screamed "Sirius Black!" and went for her wand. Sirius hid behind Remus who held the Prophet out in front of him like a shield. "A fully pardoned Lord Sirius Black Madam Pomfrey." She hesitated a minute while she scanned the headline then put her wand up. "Just as well, that boy needs all the protection he can get. If you two can stop fooling around long enough you would be a great help. I must say I have never been happier to be wrong about someone Lord Black, I am glad your back." Sirius made her an elegant bow and kissed her hand. "Your servant Madam." His voice was silk and honey. The matron cuffed him upside the head and blushed. "Stop that you fool and be careful, I expect many will have my reaction until the news has a bit to sink in." Sirius nodded and transformed again. Snuffles and Remus headed out to the Great Hall for breakfast with Snuffles tail a frantic blur of joy.

Hermione asked Madam Pomfrey to check Dobby as the little elf still hadn't stirred. The healer preformed some simple diagnostic spells and pronounced him exhausted, but healthy. His magic was low, but otherwise he seemed fine. Hermione desperately wanted to get to the library. She needed some idea of how the different magics in Harry might work, how it had happened. So far as she knew it wasn't possible, but there was the proof before her. Harry, as usual, doing the impossible. Madam Pomfrey was so surprised when she checked Harry she almost dropped her wand. She bustled off to her office and floo called the Headmaster who appeared moments later.

Dumbledore looked years younger. There was a slight air of worry about him, but gone was the determined cheerfulness of the past year. He seemed much more natural. He cast some spells of his own and studied Dobby. Then he put his hand on the castle and appeared to listen for a long time. It was a very surprised Albus that added up the twos and came to four. He did it several times. Always four.

Hermione was wriggling with curiosity when he finally focused and smiled at her. "It would seem Miss Granger that the totally unexpected has occurred." Hermione fought to not roll her eyes. "The castle led by the elves who are very tightly bound with her, gave Harry her magic last night. Not only the castle but the elves gave Harry magic. This magic was enough to stimulate his magical core. His core seems to have increased in capacity a good deal, perhaps as a response to stress and is already filling. I think we will live in interesting times as Mr. Potter learns to control his various magics. We must take care that he is calm and undisturbed as his capacity for damage through accidental magic is as high as his magical power, which is to say, very very high."

"Professor will the magics act separately or will they meld into a new magic?" "That is a very good question Ms. Granger, and one to which I have not an answer. Suffice it to say for now that he has not only emerged with no physical damage, but magically much more powerful than he was. It remains to be seen what effects his last struggle, the one for his soul, will have on him. Do not fear that result to much, look at him and those around him.' Hermione took a moment to see Dobby still asleep with Harry, the fact that Hogwarts had given Harry her magic, the sense of good that seemed to fill the room like a clean spring day. She relaxed as much as she could without seeing him awake. With a whirl of elegant robes the Headmaster left the ward to get his breakfast grinning from ear to ear.

Hermione returned to the chair beside Harry's bed and took his hand. Gently he squeezed her hand. She gasped at him. "How long have you been awake you brat!" "Not long Hermione, just a few minutes. I wanted to talk to you first before the Headmaster started to plan my life again." He wasn't angry, just a note of weariness and caution in his voice. She got him some water and asked him if he needed Madam Pomfrey. He was grateful for the water but didn't want to see his biggest critic yet. "Do you want to talk Harry?" Harry laughed a bit. "Not really Mione, but I need to, I have some things I need to tell you."

"Hermione I want to tell you that the main reason I made it through was you and the Weasleys. I wanted to get back to you. The thought of dying without being able to tell you what you mean to me kept me going when Riddle possessed me. I needed to get to you. In the end it wasn't enough, he had me, I wasn't strong enough. I couldn't hold. I reached out for my parents and found them. I felt them Mione, I knew I was with them. With a little help from me they threw him out. He had no power compared to theirs. That is all I remember until I felt you call me. I was slipping into the dark. It wasn't bad, it was quiet and comfortable. It was the end. I was dying until I felt you call me back. I came back because I heard you say you need me Mione. I need you too, and I need to tell you how much your faith in me means. Only you have always believed in me no matter what. Even Ron has doubted me. The poor sap gets so jealous when he already has everything anyone could ever want and doesn't appreciate it. No matter what happens with Riddle I want you near. I need you near. I am terrified to have you by me because being near me will put you in terrible danger. Riddle will go after anyone close to me to try to hurt me. He hopes to make me vulnerable and careless I think. I don't know how to be near you and not put you in danger. I will have to leave you alone if I can't keep you safe." His voice grew softer and softer as he talked. He was almost whispering by the end. His thumb traced little circles on the back of her hand. He was peering at her from under his lashes, trying to guess her reaction.

Hermione was flummoxed. She knew she loved Harry and that she would never leave him, that was a given. How could he not understand the realities of this war? How could he be so self centered? "Harry if Riddle wins I am dead. I am a mudblood and according to him I have to be killed. If I lose my life fighting him then that is what I need to do. I won't kneel and wait for the ax. How can I sit by and not fight him with what his victory would mean? It is true that if I am near you I might die sooner rather than later. It seems you are his obsession, he always comes for you. How could I leave you to him when I could fight with you? You would never never leave me to fight him alone but that is what you want me to do. I will not do that Harry."

Harry was silent. She could tell he wasn't getting it. Anger bloomed in her, and fear, as she knew if she didn't reach him now he was fully capable of shutting her out and disappearing.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER this isn't only your war. This war belongs to Dobby and the other magical creatures, to all muggles, to all mixed blood magicals, to anyone who isn't Lord Bloody Voldemort! All he means is death and evil without end. No one will live, not just you Harry. You aren't the end of the fight but he keeps making you the beginning. This war won't stop if you do. I think the best chance to finish him is as soon as we can. I think the faster we kill his loathsome wretched self the better for all of us. So you tell me Harry, who else is fighting him? Where else can I go to get at the warped bastard who is determined to kill me and everyone I love?"

Harry's hand cupped her cheek, softly stroking her face leaving trails of fire behind. "Your right of course Mione, when have you not been." She nodded, accepting her due with a prim little smile. "Still I hate the thought of you anywhere he can get at you. I really hate it. He should never lay eyes on you, know of you, live in the same world as you. He doesn't deserve it." He ran his hand into her hair and traced the contours of her ear, his thumb brushed the cluster of nerves causing them to fired off and flooded her with sensation, his emerald eyes distant and hooded, he was lost in the silken feel of her skin and the delicate shell of her ear. Harry shivered with emotions he had never felt for Hermione before.

Hermione's wonderfully logical and organized mind was locked up by the sensations and emotions his cautious tender touch brought up in her. Hermione was a young woman of intellectual rigor and incisive wit. Her tools were a prodigious memory, a talent for analysis, and a voracious appetite for knowledge. She was not prepared for the storm of feelings created in the wake of his touch. She had never felt physically attracted to anyone real. There was her minor infatuation with Lockhart, for which she had taken a tremendous bollocking from her two best friends, but that was years ago and was never real. There were the occasional flashes of warmth when she saw an attractive man, easily explained as the natural urges of a body awake to those possibilities. She was totally unprepared for a physical attraction to someone she knew and loved. It was Harry, Harry's touch, dear sweet maddening Harry. How could his touch leave fire behind? Why, suddenly, where his eyes so mesmerizing? Since when had his mop of unruly hair become fascinating and why all of a sudden did she want to run her hands through it?

"Harry we need to umm.. we need to .. " She sputtered to silence her honey colored eyes locked with his. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and organized her thoughts.

"We have to know how he's coming back. You have killed his body several times now and he just doesn't stay dead. We have to figure out how he doesn't die when he gets killed. You aren't the only one to survive the impossible Harry, he has done it as well. We have to figure out how to pick the time and place for the fights. Riddle has been the one to decide when and where to fight every time so far. We can't let that continue if we are going to survive." Harry nodded. "Your right Mione. Where do we start? I am guessing the library correct?" She cuffed him upside the head. "Yes unless you have a better idea Mr. Smarty." Hands raised in abject surrender Harry agreed the library was an excellent choice.

"Lets get me out of here and make sure we are together this summer. Are you ready for the show?" Hermione nodded again. "Are you ready for the show Harry?" "I will have to be at some point if we are going to get anywhere with this. Too much happened that I don't understand." "Tell me who to get in here and I will set it up." "I need the Headmaster, McGonagall, Snape, the Weasleys, Cedric is already here, but we need him awake."

"Right here Harry. Good fight last night huh?" "Excellent Ced, we fried his snake arse mate, you killed Voldemort twice last night." Cedric jolted a little. "The snake?" "Aye Ced, he possessed the snake when you torched whatever that was. Not bad for two kids; a Death Eater captured, Lord Thingy dead twice along with his familiar. Are you hurt Ced?" "Naw Harry, I came out good, was worried about you though." "You need more rest or do you mind if I start the circus?" "Sooner begun, sooner done mate."

Harry nodded at Hermione who stopped by Cedric's bed and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for keeping him alive Cedric." He stared into her eyes, and smiled gently "It was my honor Hermione. I wish you both all the best." She blushed and looked at Cho "Keep him Cho". Cho grinned "I'm a claw Hermione, I had that figured out already, brainy lot we are." Hermione grinned and hurried from the ward.

It didn't take very long before the room was full of Weasleys, and the rest of the cast. Cedric's parents stood proudly by his bed with a beaming Cho. Hermione was at Harry's side, holding his hand. Cedric and Harry told their parts of the story and learned the others. The real Moody was in a bed down the ward, behind privacy curtains, sleeping, and on a steady diet of nourishing potions. Albus had debriefed him. He had been taken the night before school started by Wormtail and Crouch. He had been kept in his trunk for the year, kept alive for the potion ingredients. He was a seriously pissed off ex-Auror. Harry almost felt bad for Barty Crouch Jr. Moody, Remus and Sirius after him as well as the Ministry. If they could get the Ministry out of it, they would have him.

Dumbledore was very interested in the battle in the cemetery. He asked them to go over it a few times, then asked for their memories for his pensieve. Cedric and Harry were happy to give them to him. Dumbledore and the others dove in. Harry had given all of his, up until he woke. He wasn't sure what they would make of his dreams or visions but the more information the better.

The group came out of the memory and Hermione started to hit Harry about the head and chest, tears streaming down her face. "Don't you ever do anything like that again, you were DEAD damn it! What do you think that would do to us, to me?" She was almost whispering and hitting him softly. Dobby opened his eyes, bleary. "Please don't be hitting my Master Harry Potter sir Miss Grangy, he is a good wizard, you stop hitting him." Hermione collapsed onto Harry's chest sobbing her heart out. Dobby closed his eyes again.

Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione and the look in his eyes as he studied the top of her head told Ginny that while she did love Harry, she would have to find someone else to love as well. Ginny felt some loss but no sense of enormous pain. Harry did love her, just not like that, and being loved like that was what Ginny wanted more than anything else in the world.

Ron shuffled his feet, alternately blushing and blanching. He didn't know for sure what to feel. He was pretty sure fear, a lot of fear was what he was feeling and loss, definitely loss. Things would change now, they had to. They might be the Trio still, but some major adjustments were coming. _"I won't be left behind. They look so right there, I just have to convince them that I can keep up." _Ron's fear was, as always, that he wasn't good enough. "_I know everyone expected Herimione and I to get together, but it's never been that way, she's like Ginny except she doesn't have that damn Bat Bogie. She sure will be easy to wind up, Harry too!" _A slow smile crept across his face and he winked at Fred and George. _"Bloody Hell! This means I have to study! Harry's going to want to keep up with her so I have to as well!" _Ron mourned for the hours he wouldn't be spending at chess and other fritterings.

Albus laughed. "It is a rare good day for the Light that Tom Riddle is killed twice in as many minutes, looses two of his three servants, is reduced to less than a ghost, and ends up strengthening his enemy many times over. With any luck at all Harry we have some time to train you quite a bit before the next round. If Riddle doesn't stop trying to kill you he is going to make you stronger than Merlin." Harry, always uncomfortable with the spotlight, spoke up. "Sir, Cedric killed him twice, took out Wormtail and Nagini, all I did was hit a bundle of rags. I think Cedric did the heavy lifting."

Cedric shook his head. "Nice try Harry, but I would never have won the dream-battle. And that was the real fight." The two looked at one another and understood. Anytime, for any reason, they would be there for one another.

"Wormtail Sir?" "Ah Yes Harry, that was brilliant. He arrived bound and very frightened. Kingsley immediately stunned him and had to shield him from Sirius, Remus and Crouch to prevent his murder right there. He was taken immediately into the custody of DMLE and is being questioned right now by a forensic Legilimens under truth serum, his memories being taken for a pensieve, and full monitoring for the confession. It was the realization that Wormtail was talking as fast as he could that convinced Fudge to sign Sirius's pardon before complete proof was available. Trying to stay ahead of the wave I imagine."

Madam Pomfrey excused Cedric from her care and he headed off with his parents and Cho to celebrate with his Hufflepuffs. Harry gave the Headmaster the beady eye. "What about my magic sir? It feels funny." "When we first got you back we worried your magic was gone, that your core was depleted and wouldn't recover. Madam Pomfrey could detect no magical signature." Harry winced. "Sometime during the night several things happened. Some of the people that love you laid hands on you and willed their love and magic into you. Following that your friend Dobby came to you and formed a bond between you, him, the other elves, and the castle. I don't know why Dobby didn't damage himself with as much power as he had pass through him, but he seems to be well if exhausted." Dobby made a vague agreeing noise and rustled deeper into the covers. "The end result is what you feel, a combination of your own magical core, elven magic, and the ancient magic of Hogwarts. Hogwarts has never given any of her magic to a person. She uses it to defend herself and to care for those in her. I will be researching why she did this as well as what you might expect from the use of your magic. I must warn you to be extremely careful with your magic. You have an enormous amount of power in you right now. I can't say if this is a one time overcharge or if it will be your new level. You must remain calm, you must train as hard as you can to obtain mental control. Accidental magic at your power levels could be very dangerous indeed."

Harry dove for the silver lining. "Then I should stay away from all things Dursley sir. I should stay someplace quiet like with Sirius and Remus. I should have my friends with me to help me stay calm and to help me learn mental control. (Hermione grinned like she had just won the lottery) We also need to find out what happened to Riddle and Crouch. We need to know why that damn Riddle just doesn't die. We have killed him 4 times now. Whats going on that he is still not dead?"

The Headmaster regarded Harry for a minute. "I agree we need to limit your involvement with the Dursleys. There will be trouble if you are left there alone. I will ask Remus and Sirius to stay at the Dursleys with you." Both sported huge smiles and looked directly at the twins who cackled. "Your time there will be two weeks after which I suggest Sirius's house. The Burrow is not as well protected and your association with it is well known. Miss Granger would you do us the honor of keeping Harry company this summer? He will have much to learn and your calming influence would be most appreciated I am sure." Did the old man just wink at her? "Tonight is the leaving feast. Please make sure you have sufficient time to celebrate with your house and still be packed. I will be speaking to the school tonight on the disaster we have so narrowly averted."

"Sir regarding the other questions? Why doesn't Riddle die when we kill him? What are we doing to find Crouch?" the Headmaster regarded Harry with raised eyebrows. When Harry refused to deflate before the Supreme Mugwump he sighed and considered that he might be losing his touch at intimidation by twinkle.

"My primary focus will be researching the amazing longevity of Tom Riddle. I have theories, dangerous and dark theories. I will keep them to myself until I can learn more. At present I have precious few facts. I want you to learn to seal your mind. The battle last night would have been much easier if he had been unable to access your mind. Make that your focus this summer Mr. Potter. You must close your mind to Riddle. Only then will you be able to keep safe all the facts and ideas I have concerning the nature of Lord Voldemort."

Mr. and Mrs Weasley along with Bill and Charlie returned to the Burrow after hugs and handshakes. Harry, Hermione and the other Weasleys returned to the Gryffindor common room to the applause and tumult of a huge party. Harry eventually crept off to pack hoping for a few quiet minutes with Ron. Harry was flopped on his four poster having finished the packing. Hegwig he had sent to Little Whinging telling her to take a few days for hunting and vacation. She had disagreed. He knew she would be to Number 4 as soon as she could and would hide in the trees until he got there.

Ron idled through the door a little down and moody. "What is it mate?" "Ah Harry nothing, I'm just being a git." "Ron your my best mate therefore your not a git.. whats bothering you?" "Well I know this is stupid but there you were fighting You Know Who again, and I wasn't there. Just like I wasn't there for the Tri-Wizard. I just don't feel like I was a very good friend this year Harry, and I wanted you to know that I'm really sorry. I have this jealousy that I can't seem to get rid of." Harry nodded. "I know mate, I am so jealous of you sometimes I can't stand it. You have this wonderful family and a great house and I have that Dursley crap and some nice men I barely know. And you. And Hermione."

Ron looked at him oddly for a minute. Slowly he nodded and his face cleared. "I'm alright." Harry snorted. "Your more than alright, your bloody brilliant, the best mate anyone could have. Everything good I have came out of that compartment on the train first year." Ron could see he meant it. He turned to pack with his cheeks wet. "Ponce" was all he said. The pillow almost knocked him off of his feet.

The food that evening was not up to the usual end of term feast. Hermione suspected that quite a bit of energy had gone into the castles favorite son and it would be some time before things were back to normal. The Headmasters speech was wonderful. Cedric got his full measure of praise and the Hufflepuffs gloried in what they so seldom had. Harry was mentioned as having survived a great trial during a mind to mind struggle with Lord Voldemort and that it would be best if he was left in quiet for the rest of the term. Dumbledore stared at Malfoy while saying this. Malfoy, being always the idiot, smirked.

Harry stood and raised a glass and his voice "Please toast with me: To my friend, fellow soldier of the Light, Killer of Voldemort, and True Hogwarts Champion, Mr. Cedric Diggory. May he live long and well." The school roared "Cedric Diggory!" so loud dust swirled from the rafters and the ceiling of the Great Hall showed distortions. The students were dismissed for the final night, the train left early the next morning. Harry tottered up the stairs surrounded by a guard who kept all things Malfoy at a great distance.

He slept a dreamless sleep that night, one of the few he had had in years.


	4. Chapter 3 The Dursleys Week

Harry had a quick breakfast with Hermione early the next morning. They were struggling down the hallways with their luggage, Crookshanks and an owl cage when Dobby popped up next to them. "Master Harry Potter sir, allow Dobby to help you and your Miss Grangy!" Harry laughed and hugged the elf. "It's good to see you up and around Dobby, thanks for the help. What are your plans for the summer?" Dobby froze and then started to scuff his feet not looking at either of them. He began to twist his ears and look around for something to punish himself with. Harry recognized the signs and grabbed him in a tight hug. "Dobby you will not punish yourself. You are a good elf, the best elf, and my friend. What is going on, please tell me."

"Dobby wishes to work for Master Harry Potter sir." The elf was totally ashamed, eyes downcast, face scrunched up. "I would be honored to have you work for me Dobby, I was going to ask you but I thought you wanted to be here." The three of them resumed the trek with the luggage to the entrance hall conducting negotiations at a furious pace. Harry thought that getting Palestine and Israel to agree to a solid working peace would have been easier, but before they got to the carriage an agreement was reached. Harry also took on Winky as a traditional house elf once Dobby make clear her situation. She was drunk, sick, and literally dying of shame. Harry wouldn't leave her to die.

The elves agreed to pop to Number 4 Privet Drive later in the day, once Sirius, Remus and Harry had settled in. Hermione would be joining them as many days as she could, her home was a good distance but Dobby or Winky could pop her over in an instant. The Weasleys would be flooing in to join Harry for training once Harry settled into Grimmauld Place.

Harry, Ron, Hermione got a train compartment and waited for their friends. Ginny, Neville, and Luna rounded out the compartment. Harry hadn't had a lot of dealings with Luna before but liked her immediately. She stared dreamily at him for a minute. "Harry you have many kinds of magic, can you use them all?' Harry was nonplussed by her ability to see his magic and her straightforward question. "I don't know Luna, a lot of it is very new to me. Do you think you could help me learn how to use it?" She nodded dreamily. "It will take a while to adapt to it Harry, just give yourself time and don't get angry." Harry nodded. "Wrackspurts are especially attracted to anger and they would feast on your magic leaving you very little, if anything." Harry nodded again, goggle eyed. "Umm can I call on you for Wrackspurt protection Luna?" It was Luna's turn to nod.

The train rushed towards London. The highlands of Scotland were replaced by the English countryside as the day passed, bright and clear, high white clouds sending shadow patches over the fields. It was traditional for Draco Malfoy to make an entrance during any train ride and this trip was no exception. The door of the compartment rolled open to frame the sneering face of the Prince of Slytherin.

"Well Potty just when I think you can sink no lower you manage to accumulate yet another loser. Loony Lovegood Potter? Are you so desperate for adulation that you have to associate with Lovegood?" Harry started to laugh. Full breath belly laughs with tears rolling down his face. The rest of the compartment joined him. Malfoy was saying something but couldn't be heard over the roar of laughter. Hermione made a motion with her wand and the door slid gently and firmly closed followed by a squelch as the door sealed and a silencing charm was applied. Luna sat up brightly as the group quieted. "There you go Harry, thats one Wrackspurt attack repelled." They all regarded Luna. It was true that the response to Malfoy was different than any they had ever given and more effective. "Luna I don't know how you did it but your a genius, thank you." She nodded primly and picked up her Quibbler.

They played chess and Exploding Snap and gossiped happily enjoying the lunacy that Luna would interject at random intervals. Hermione napped for a while, her head on Harry's shoulder, her hair tickled his nose. Harry felt like a lion sunning on the savanna, his mate beside him, warmth washing across him and no fear. The boys stepped into the train corridor to allow the girls to get dressed in their muggle clothes and then places were reversed. As the train stopped at Platform 9 ¾ everyone was saying their goodbyes and arranging for contact over the summer. They piled onto the platform and loaded the luggage onto trolleys, each helping the others. The Weasleys were greeted with the patented Molly hugs and all promised to be in touch over the summer. Harry was a bit worried about the twins look of glee when they said they would be seeing him.

Harry approached Luna and her father. He shook Xeno Lovegood's hand and asked if he might visit Luna over the summer explaining that he had just met Luna and would like to get to know her better. The Lovegoods were going on an expedition looking for a rare creature for several weeks but would be in touch on their return.

Harry also spoke to the Grangers about seeing Hermione over the summer, telling them that they were dating. Hermione squeaked in surprise at that news. Harry grinned at her. He said he looked forward to getting to know her parents. The Grangers were a bit put off by the seriousness of the conversation. It was very old fashioned, but Harry did seem like a nice young man. Dan was looking forward to the ride home, he had a whole raft of teasing material he had been saving up. Emma gave him a warning glance, a warning shot across the bows. Dan adopted a face of innocence. Emma knew he would tease anyway. They had been married and well married for a long time and knew one another.

Harry pulled the trolley through the barrier and spotted the Dursleys. He walked towards them his face carefully neutral. "Hello Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, hey Dud, have a good year?" His uncle would have liked to take offense but the boy was neat, polite, and quiet so he just humphed and waddled towards the car park. Aunt Petunia gave a jerky nod. Dudley decided that something about Harry had changed a lot. Dudders didn't have the brains to suss it out but he knew with animal cunning who was the predator in the bunch. Harry enjoyed the ride to Little Whinging only because he knew what was coming. Uncle Vernon sputtered venomously about everything while Aunt Petunia agreed with him. Dudders sat in his corner, his massive bulk squeezed as far from Harry as it could get.

Just as the last of daylight leached from the sky they arrived at Number 4. Vernon began his lecture concerning the consequences of any freakishness in his house, bellowing on about how good it was of him to have Harry there and how useless Harry was, how he would be pulling his weight and the list of chores was on his door. He would be expected to...

The doorbell rang. Vernon strode over and opened the door to see two men with looks of intense anger on their faces. He started to shut the door yelling for Petunia to call the police when the door stopped moving. Slowly, inexorably, the door opened. Vernon clung desperately to the door handle, so desperately that it came off in his hand with a resounding crack. Petunia and Dudley stood frozen. Harry grinned like an idiot.

Remus and Sirius were on the scene and payback was beginning. Harry called softly "Dobby, Winky?" The elves shocked the Dursleys even more than the adult wizards. The elves took up defensive positions to either side of Harry and glared at the Dursleys. Harry had never noticed how sharp their teeth were. Harry put a hand on their shoulders and whispered "Hi guys, thanks" They glanced at him, nodded, and returned to glowering. Hegwig flew in through the open doorway and landed on Harry's shoulder. Sirius was speaking to the Dursleys as one would to retarded baboons.

"Hello Vernon, Petunia you may remember us from Lily's school days. I am Lord Sirius Black. This is my good friend and a good friend of the Potter's the werewolf Professor Remus Lupin. The elves are Harry's friends, Dobby and Winky. Harry ran into a spot of trouble at the end of the year and Lord Voldemort was killed a few times. Harry needs rest and quiet. He needs to not be disturbed. He needs no harassment from Dursleys. Therefore he will be getting rest, quiet and no harassment from Dursleys. We will provide for our own meals, Remus and I will be in the guest bedroom. Dobby and Winky will be with Harry. Any attempt to harm or annoy Harry will result in you changing your residence to the cupboard under the stairs. I will release the silencing charms on you now. If you should yell or become abusive in any manner I will silence you again."

Sirius waved his wand. Vernon was a beautiful puce color, the vein in his forehead pulsing with his heartbeat. The whale gathered himself and broached. "You have no right to..." Sirius waved his wand again. "Harry there is no reason to hear this. Why don't you give Hermione a call and see how her ride home was. Then order us a few large pizza's. I will sort the Dursleys and perhaps the elves would like to put our luggage away before pizza?" Harry nodded at the elves and sauntered over to the phone.

"Hi Hermione? It's Harry. Yeah, it's going great, Sirius and the Dursleys are having a heart to heart right now. Nope no blood anywhere. Listen I am going to ask Winky to go to you and guard you and your family. I know you don't. But it would be safer and you could ask her about elves. Right then. Later this evening, after we have pizza. By the way do you know of a good pizza store near Little Whinging? Could you show me this internet thing sometime?" Harry hummed and watched the occasional sputtering of Vernon and Petunia as Hermione did a search for a pizza shop close to his house. The Marauders were kicking ass and taking names by the look of it. Harry waved cheerfully to the group. Remus grinned back at him but you could see the wolf in his eyes. Those stupid Dursleys better settle down. "Yes? Right, brilliant, I have the number, thanks Hermione, talk to me tomorrow alright? I miss you. Night then." Harry dialed the pizza number and ordered 3 large deluxe extra cheese pies for delivery. He canceled the Silencio and told the Marauders "About 45 minutes to pizza gentlemen." Harry hopped up the stairs listening to his protectors tearing apart the Dursleys. They were threatening legal prosecution for child abuse if Vernon didn't immediately shut up. When the great white whale exploded again there was a bang, and a small snick noise. Harry suspected Vernon had been stunned and was currently in the cupboard under the stairs.

"Winky after we eat would you mind going to Hermione's house and guarding her? I want you to guard her and her parents very carefully. If you see or sense anything wrong, get them to safety and come get the rest of us. We will sort it out. This is very important to me Winky and a big job, can you do it?" She nodded vigorously and continued to help Dobby unpack Harry's things. "Guys don't help the Dursleys. Don't hurt them but don't help them either alright? They don't deserve your help. Dobby will you stay in here with me?" Dobby was extremely happy about the arrangement. They transfigured the queen sized bed in the guest room into two full size beds and made a Dobby size bed in Harry's room. Harry cleared a drawer in his dresser for Dobby and some closet space. He had to set some boundaries on the fulsome praise Dobby was forever spouting off. It was endearing but wearing.

Harry sat and read a book while the elves did a quick job of cleaning his room, the bathroom and the guest room. He was extremely uncomfortable not helping and hoped that they could reach a point where he could help with the chores so he didn't feel so weird about sitting while other people did things for him. _"Pardon me while I idle about being great and above the grind. Oh and you missed a spot, bad form what?_ This was so not Harry.

The doorbell rang and Remus shouted up the stairs calling them for pizza. Dobby was amazed at pizza and promised to make it whenever they wanted. Winky nodded in agreement. The Marauders wore looks of immense satisfaction. Harry asked cautiously "Where are the Dursleys?" Sirius grinned his dog grin "In your cupboard for the evening." Harry roared with laughter for a bit then went to check they could all breathe. They had been shrunken quite a lot but it was still a very tight fit. Harry grinned at them. "Eleven years you bastards." He shut the door and returned to the pizza. Their eyes had been very large.

Harry would have his fill tonight and if there were left overs he would put them in the cupboard under the stairs.

Winky popped to Hermione's house for the duration and Remus supervised a bathroom break for Harry's relatives then stuck them back in with a piece of pizza each for dinner. Sirius took care of the Ministry owl that warned Harry about use of underage magic telling Mafilda Hopkirk that he was in the house for the next two weeks and that all magic would be done by him, so enough with the owls. Full of natures most perfect food and feeling a bit guilty about the karmic justice being dispensed to the Dursleys in his cupboard Harry fell asleep.

Some time in the night Harry had a sense of an endless malice drifting, unaware of itself, barely existing. He recoiled from it and turned his dreams to Hermione. They were sitting talking quietly while the kids napped. He was older, no gray in his hair, but a some lines on his face. She was even more beautiful, a woman and mother. The house was well furnished and beautiful, large but not huge. The bay window opened to a view of rolling hills fronting a mountain range. Golden meadows under a late sun shed the heat of a summers day. He felt a great peace and happiness.

Dobby settled back into his little bed. He guarded his friend and Masters sleep. It was the most danger Harry faced now, his sleep. Dobby would watch.

Harry bounded out of bed and into the kitchen. There was a short fierce struggle while he convinced Dobby that it was fun for him to cook. He began breakfast for the gang with humming pleasure. Bacon fried, eggs sputtered, toast browned, tea brewed. He called the Marauders to the first serving and asked them to go shopping for groceries later. It was quickly evident that Harry would be doing the shopping with a wad of Sirius's muggle money. Sirius was quite excited about some rather extensive shopping he wanted to do. Harry started another round of breakfast for the Dursleys and had to argue with Sirius that yes he really wanted to do it, he liked to cook, even for evil git's. Remus let the Dursleys out. They were very subdued as they struggled to use the bathroom and feed themselves at a third their usual size. Harry was very pleasant to them, making sure they got enough food and had a chance to get clean, then it was back in the cupboard.

The four of them headed into muggle London to do their shopping. The Knight bus was the usual nightmare. Stan still called Harry Neville. It took the Marauders a while to pry the story out of Harry, but they enjoyed it the more. Harry got groceries and Dobby popped home and put the food away before meeting back up with the men for further shopping. Harry and Dobby discussed a uniform for the Potter elves. Dobby settled on a black leather duster, black knee high engineer boots, black cargo pants and a black turtleneck with a black watch cap. Spec Ops Gangsta elf was born. Harry loved the duster and got one himself paying with the credit card they had gotten at Gringotts, their second stop of the day. Sirius as Harry's guardian had approved Harry's ability to draw on his main account so long as Sirius cosigned any purchase over a rather large number of galleons. The group wandered past a motorcycle shop and all was lost. Sirius loved his old motorcycle but it was a dated machine now. There were shiny fast objects to be had. He ended up ordering 2 gleaming red BMW K1100's. After all Harry had to have one. Remus refused. Harry had insisted that they get full sets of protective gear for the motorcycles. Now that Sirius had a theme he headed off to purchase a motorcar. Soon he had arranged for delivery of a very very red, very very fast Ferrari F355 Spider convertible. He was literally sparking with excitement. Remus moaned about practicality. Sirius threatened him with a Land Rover. Dobby was kept hopping taking purchases back to Number 4.

They rounded out the day with some muggle clothes shopping. For once Harry had proper underwear, a large number of very nice socks (people did insist on giving him sweets, tricks or books) and some nice good quality clothes that he liked and that fit him. Between Harry and Sirius they got Remus to agree to being totally fitted out. They had to hire him as a tutor for Harry and his friends but they did get him looking dapper. Clothes may not make the man but they certainly put a strut in the werewolves stride. On the way home they stopped for some Thai take out. It was an exuberant group that trooped through the door of Number 4. The bikes were due the next day and the Ferrari the day after.

Sirius let the Dursleys out and allowed them to talk for the first time in over a day. He first reminded them that any misbehavior on their part would land them under the stairs again. Harry was glad of their release, it just felt evil to do to them what had been done to him and he had quietly worked on his guardians over the day to allow the Dursleys the chance.

Harry enjoyed a long talk with Hermione about his shopping frenzy. She was scared about Harry's bike and the amount they had spent. Harry was sure his finances were fine, all he had bought were clothes for Dobby, Remus, and himself. He was a little frightened at what Sirius had spent. Sirius was spending hand over fist. She actually gasped at the idea of the Ferrari. Harry had Dobby pop over and show Hermione his new uniform. Hermione told him he looked quite fierce and handsome. Dobby strutted before Winky who seemed rendered speechless by him. "Master Harry has promised Winky a uniform also. He said it did not have to look like mine Winky." Winky managed to look relieved and a bit disappointed at the same time. Hermione and Harry agreed that they needed a few minutes to discuss matters related to Tolkien sometime soon. It was difficult to gossip about what looked to be a romance in front of the elves involved. Both Harry and Hermione were excited at the idea that Remus was going to tutor them over the summer once 'summer camp' as Harry called the weeks at the Dursleys was over.

Harry decided he quite liked Thai food. Dudley did the dishes without a word. When he finished Sirius returned him to his full size and allowed him his bedroom again. Dudders made his way there as fast as his fat bottom could take him. Vernon, of course, started to bellow like a wounded bull and was silenced and sent to his cupboard. Sirius eyed Petunia, his wand bouncing on his leg. She nodded and made her way to her husband pulling the cupboard door closed with a soft click. Sirius didn't lock them in.

Harry had a solid nights sleep, he had Dobby as the Dream Police. The next day the motorcycles were delivered. Sirius immediately began charming them. Supersensory charms to warn of approaching danger, cushion charms, an emergency obstacle avoidance charm modified from the Knight bus. He then started work on the cycle gear they would wear, protective and cushioning charms, warming and cooling spells. Harry leered at the red BMW K with the lust of any horsepower starved teenager. He muttered to Sirius about a license. Sirius handed him a wonderful replica of a motorcycle endorsed drivers license, courtesy of Gringotts. The riding lesson began and went most of the day. They were large and very powerful machines. Sirius had to make himself take it easy as he relearned the feel and got used to the power. He and Harry spent a nice afternoon in a car park practicing slow movement, the most difficult speed to control a motorcycle. Magic was a wonderful helper keeping the bikes pristine despite some tip overs. They returned to Privet Drive and found the Ferrari in the driveway. Remus was just standing looking at it. "It is a very beautiful machine. Amazing what these muggles come up with." Sirius left Harry to put the bikes to bed and took Moony out for a spin.

It was hours later that the pair returned having confunded several constables and having created an urban legend of themselves around some popular West End pubs. The car rumbled to a stop and snapped and creaked cooling off. The wild laughter that entered the house totally offended the mini Dursleys but they had learned their lesson. Harry served grilled steak and mashed potatoes with a Dobby made salad and fresh bread as well as a treacle tart. Dudders headed to the dishes as soon as everyone was finished. Harry enjoyed a short conversation with Hermione and made a floo call to the Burrow just to check on the mayhem. Ron wanted to come see the muggle machinery so he stepped through and out to the garage to admire the Ferrari especially. Sirius took him for a spin. Harry wasn't sure what constituted a spin but the combined scream of Ron, the tires, and the engine fading into the distance sounded like a muggle amusement park. It was some time before they were back. Sirius had to confound some more bobbies, which he didn't seem to mind at all. It was obvious how much he loved that Ferrari. Remus accused him of sleeping with it next to his bed. Ron headed back to the Burrow sputtering about a bloody brilliant machine. Arthur of course grilled Ron about the auto. The Weasley patriarch floo called and was promised a ride the next day.

By the end of the first week only Vernon was still in the cupboard. He just couldn't control himself, he had to get nasty about one of the wizards. He even tried to abuse Dobby. He only tried it once. It was a full day before Dobby woke him. They let the bruises heal naturally.

Harry's magic had begun to merge. It wasn't so obvious what came from him, from the elves or from Hogwarts. He had yet to do any magic being careful to follow the Headmasters suggestion.

Finally the day came when they would leave for Grimmauld Place. Dobby packed and popped with the help of Winky. Eventually the wizards said their goodbyes for the holidays. "We should only trouble you for two weeks next summer.

Perhaps if you two could get Vernon to behave we might all enjoy the time. Until then." Sirius tipped his sporty car driving cap and turned to go. He gave his wand a flick just as he left the door and Vernon returned to full size and bitterness. Harry was glad to shut the door.


	5. Chapter 4 Grimmauld Place

Winky had returned to Hermione after assisting Dobby with the move by the time Sirius had driven his car to Grimmauld Place. Sirius cast very heavy notice me not charms on the Ferrari as well as several wards. He needed to fix up the carriage house for his beloved. They opened the boot and removed the few small packages and the shrunken bikes. Dobby bustled out and helped them move the goods into the mansion. Harry got to pick a room. He selected Regulus's old room.

For the first time since the final task Harry tried magic. He held an image of Grimmauld Place in his mind and cast Reparo. He followed quickly with Scourgify. The building creaked, popped, shuddered and quaked as magic tore through it. He and Dobby watched wide eyed as a hurricane of dirt and doxies tore through the place, shrank into itself, and disappeared with a pop. The place looked brand new. The carpet could have just been laid, the paint was fresh and gleaming, stairs level and quiet. The kitchen table, a heavy block of wood meant more for preparation by servants than for the focal point of the house was gleaming, unmarred by decades of preparing meals. It was a brand new house. Harry grinned at Dobby. "Well Sargent that went well. What shall we try next? Lets go bother Sirius about color changes. All this black, silver and green with all these snake fixtures irks me."

Sirius was standing in his room, the same he had had as a child, looking decidedly bemused. "Was that you pup?" Harry nodded. "Dobby and I were thinking about a different color scheme for the house. What do you think? It's pretty dreary." Sirius barked his laugh. "Pretty? I'd say it set world records for dreary. Tell you what, lets get some women in here to help us decide what to do. They can fight over it and we can act uncaring. The trick is to stake out your territory and then let them have the rest. You two get your quarters set up and I will lay claim of this suite and they can do what they like with the rest. I think Molly, Hermione, Ginny, Emma and Tonks would be a good start."

Harry immediately wrote a note to Hermione asking for the Granger ladies help brightening up the Black house. Sirius floo called Molly, Ginny and Tonks. Harry and Dobby got started on his suite. They changed the colors to a warm yellow with gloss white trim and gleaming brass lions for fixtures. The tile in the bathroom was gleaming white with white fixtures and a light yellow for the walls. The curtains were stark white and the artwork was landscapes and period hunting scenes all mundane to ensure privacy. It made a bright and cheerful suite. They even put heating charms on the towel racks to warm the towels, a touch they thought quite elegant. They expanded the bookshelves and changed the design and wood to a cleaner line and lighter color. The desk was large and functional with a magical filing drawer that would have any muggle secretary in tears. Unlimited space and never a lost paper.

They cast another Scourgify on the fireplace itself and a Reparo, just to be sure there was no fire risk. The snake medallion inset into the fire box was converted to a Gryffindor lion. "Now yours Dobby." Dobby hadn't selected a room and went off to pick one out and decorate it. Harry was wondering if it would be for two. Harry put most of his books away, selected a book, started a fire and changed the space beneath the window seat to a magical cold box which he stocked with fruit and butterbeer and such. He curled into a wing chair and began to read about mind magic and the defense of the mind.

The Weasley and Granger ladies along with the Tonks women sat down with catalogs, paint samples, and a mountain of decorator magazines. After Harry's "deep cleaning" it was possible to see what could be done. The troll leg umbrella stand went. The elf heads went. Kreacher was encouraged to preform whatever ceremony he thought best concerning them. Ron muttered darkly that he probably put them in the soup. No one ate any thing they didn't see cooked for a while, but then again it was Ron.

Remus wandered in to Harry's room later in the week. "So cub, we have a tutoring relationship to start up. What were your ideas as to subjects? Harry of course was interested in anything combat oriented. He wanted a grounding in field medicine, he wanted as much as he could get about counter-terrorism tactics, about mind magic and the defense of the mind. He wanted to know about the nature of magic. And he was desperate to know how Riddle could survive being blasted from three bodies by two different wizards. Remus did pass the word that Snape's dark mark was as faint as it had been since that fateful Halloween many years ago.

By the end of the month a routine had been established. The Weasley kids would floo into Grimmauld Place in the morning and stay until almost supper. Hermione would be popped over by Winky and Dobby would get Neville. Remus led classes in defense, charms, transfiguration, and potions. He was a quite competent potion maker, his aim was to create his own Wolfsbane Potion. He had the skills but had lacked the confidence and practice. Luna drifted in the day after her excursion with her father. She always seemed to be surprised to find herself at the Weasleys in time to floo to Grimmauld.

They trained in the basement of Grimmauld Place, a large open area, stone floored, and very clean after Harry's massive Scourgify. They did physical training and practiced new defenses. They trained in agility. They trained in dance to build teamwork, to learn to trust their partners, and to give the kids a chance to be hormonal teenagers. The twins were easily the best at teamwork. They spoofed the dancing but they were mind readers in a fight. Remus had everyone trying to learn a patronus. Transfiguration had a offensive and defensive component, conjuring materials massive enough to stop a killing curse, and causing the landscape to act to your advantage in a fight. Potions centered on battlefield medicine and stimulants. He taught them as much as he could about first aid and minor healing, then hired a medi-witch from St. Mungo's to train them in treatment of major blood loss, wound closure and bone repair.

The group had designated time to research their areas of interest. Harry was deep in counter terrorism tactics and mind defenses. Hermione was looking into the survival of Riddle through three bodies. She had written to some of the worlds best light side wizards including Dumbledore and was waiting for replies from them. She had even written to the Department of Mysteries and hoped an unspeakable would deign to answer her.

Dumbledore was frantically looking for the cause of Riddles continued existence. He was sure Riddle wasn't quite dead just as he was sure Riddle wasn't a threat just now. The capture of Barty Crouch was imperative. If the two made contact Riddle could very quickly return to a physical form. Dumbledore's final concern was the connection between Harry and Riddle, that strangely strong mental link.

Sirius had Mad Eye go over the attic and look for anything dangerous which resulted in an interesting pile of rubbish and long discussions as to the sanity of Mad Eye. Once Mad Eye approved the space as dark free Sirius ordered Kreacher to live in it and to keep it "to your usual standard please" (that was the best Hermione could get him to do) while Dobby took over the rest of the house. Hermione was, as always, kind to the old insane elf. "Look at it as a form of working retirement Kreacher. Your not getting any younger and it would be a shame to wear yourself out on this great old house." Kreacher retreated to his attic muttering about being spoken to by a mudblood. Kreacher was able to remove the hated portrait of Walburga Black from the hallway once he was told he could have it in his quarters. That checked off number one on all the ladies decorating lists. Molly redesigned the kitchen with help from Dobby so that it was more modern and both elf and human accessible. The change to a more modern lighting system than the gas lights was a big improvement as well as the new furniture and cabinetry in the kitchen. There was even a small fireplace with a few comfy chairs and a small bookshelf for late night hot cocoa. The colors were light and windows charmed to reflect the actual weather outside were installed.

Sirius had the old carriage house converted to a modern garage. It was immediately dubbed the "Bat Cave" by Harry and Hermione. The others didn't know what Snape had to do with it. Sirius would rumble into the alley at the back of the property and hit a button on the Ferrari or his red BMW parking in a nicely appointed carriage house with parking for a few more vehicles should the urge hit him. Centrally located was the cold storage for butterbeer. It was here that Harry spent some time trying to put together a magical method of transportation as fast as the fastest muggle aircraft. The public record was held by the SR71 Blackbird at a silly number of miles an hour. Harry considered it a long term goal. Probably after a University degree in aeronautics. Still it was fun to make imaginative and swoopy drawings of airplane shapes and conjecture on methods of propulsion that weren't property of Pratt and Whitney. And the task had nothing, but nothing, to do with Dark Lords. Or even scarier, Hermiones.

He seldom had a minute when she was out of his mind. As soon as he realized she wasn't on his mind he twitched and looked around for her. Once he could see her he would relax, she was fine, no worry. Her hair, what did it feel like? It looked alive and almost had it's own emotions, sometimes he thought he could see eyes looking out at him from in there, winking and cheeky. Her eyes, honey brown, with gold flecks for me please sir, two of them, nicely spaced, bold eyebrow, full dark lashes, clear, honest, brilliant, warm, loving? Her lips? No, not her lips, that way led madness. Her throat, slender and strong, elegant with the beat of her pulse in candlelight just visible if you knew where to look. The slender delicacy of her collar bones vanishing under her blouse, damn all blouses, sweaters, jumpers, covers of any sort. Now about that speed record. Yes the speed record. Lets see a nice shape for speed would be like Hermione's shape. DAMN IT.

He had it bad.

He was the focus of the most intense betting pool in Order of Phoenix history. He was object of unending mirth that occasionally escaped them and was heard by "The Boy Who Pined". He never tumbled to it, he would run his hand through his hair like he did, nod distractedly, and go back to staring at Hermione or the ground alternately with occasional flushes and twitches. Her patience was growing thin. Sirius had developed a clenched face shuddering that would have worried Harry to death had he been able to pay attention. All Sirius had to do was relax a little and barking laughter would have sprayed from him. Hermione gave him repeated applications of her death glare. He shook harder, tears in his eyes, and made his way from the room closely followed by Remus. Coughing and barking faded into the distance.

Self doubt was always Harry's biggest problem. Just as all the evil of Riddle was Harry's fault for not stopping it, he was sure that Hermione's love for him would disappear if she knew he loved her also. It seemed perfectly reasonable to him. He was also sure he would explode if he didn't somehow move their relationship forward. He was well and truly stuck. For her part she needed him to want her and show it. She had been rejected brutally by her whole life. Ron and Harry were the first true friends she had. Ginny was the first real girl friend she had. Harry had to show he wanted her as a young woman and he was afraid of doing so.

So they settled into an uneasy pattern of missed glances and fumbled hand holding, quick blushes and aching hearts. The Marauders were merciless. They had developed an artistic ability to interrupt at the worst possible time. Harry was miserable and close to being convinced that the best thing for him would be death or the priesthood. Perhaps the only one who didn't know what was happening was Harry. Hermione knew that Sirius and Remus were enjoying the stuttering courtship more than they should and was plotting a vicious revenge when the time was right. Dobby was close to direct action to leash the dog and the wolf and was often heard muttering about mean masters. The impasse continued through July until Neville's birthday party.

"See you at Neville's party tomorrow then Harry, goodnight." "Night Mione, sleep well." His eyes were green fire. If it wasn't for that she would have thumped the git a week ago. She smiled and flooed to her house. He hit the wall groaning. An innocent observer, there were none in range, would have felt the house smile.


	6. Chapter 5 Happy Birthday

Neville had invited everyone to Longbottom Manor for his birthday, he would be 15 as would Harry the following day. A combined party seemed like fun and everyone was looking forward to it. Harry would open presents the next day without a lot of hoopla so that Neville had the glory on his day. The guest list was extensive. Neville and Harry were in the same crowd but Mrs. Longbottom was an old fashioned pureblood and knew everyone, most of whom she was inviting. The kids promised themselves a good time anyway. Neville had a enough space for flying so those that had them brought brooms.

It was a fine day, and they arrived in the mid morning ready for a nice event. Mrs. Longbottom was very formal and fierce. All the Weasleys knew the proper manners and were dressed especially well for the occasion. Ginny looked very nervous as this was her first venture into pureblood society. The pureblood families were desperate for young witches to perpetuate their lines. Ginny of course had other priorities than an arranged marriage and if pushed would make them abundantly and painfully clear.

After introductions the young people hurried outside to a huge area containing Neville's greenhouse and the pitch. Neville led them on a tour of the greenhouse that they all enjoyed as they didn't have to do anything to the plants other than keep safe from them. Hermione asked Neville about some of the rarer ingredients for Wolfsbane potion and Neville, good man that he was, agreed to cultivate as he could in his space, Harry just enjoyed the variety of shapes and colors.

Soon they were flying and yelling, just goofing in the air. Nothing in Harry's life gave him the pleasure of flight on a broomstick. Since he had been on one of Sirius's speed runs in the Ferrari he did realize that more speed was better and wondered why broomsticks weren't faster. He resolved to compare notes with Mr. Weasley on his magical flight speed project.

Harry landed besides Hermione who was just watching the group goofing in the air. "Come join us Mione?" She regarded him disapprovingly. "Mione?" Harry nodded. "It's a diminutive, and meant as a term of endearment." Her color warmed and she didn't say any more about it. "Harry you know I don't like to fly." "Fly with me please then, hop on, I swear I wont go higher or faster than you say." The idea of wrapping Harry in her arms certainly was pleasant, and it was his birthday party. "No pranks?" Harry crossed his heart. She slid into the braces behind him and wrapped her arms tight around him pressing firmly to him. "Now be easy Potter it's my first time."

She enjoyed the desperate blush of his neck as he gently pushed off and they drifted up to about treetop level. Slowly they curved through the trees, a gentle breeze wafting over them, listening to the birds and watching the sun play on the leaves. There was a small lake and they dove gently until Hermione could trail one foot in the cool water. She relaxed into his back and her arms loosened a bit. He raised the nose of the broom and took them up in a lazy spiral high enough that the fields were laid out like a wall paper pattern and cows and horses looked like models. Farmers worked and lorries chugged along roads. All was well in the English summer.

He dropped into a gentle curve landed them back at the meadow. She laid her head on his shoulder, arms loose around him. "So what was that at the end of the term about dating Mr. Potter?" It was Harry's turn to stiffen with tension. "I would like to take you on a date Hermione. Would you mind?" She considered. "What about Ron?" Harry sighed "Thats the hard part, or one of them. Will Ron be able to be friends with us? If it does work out, and I think it will, how will he feel? I just don't know Mione. I hope he would be happy for us and not think it made him less but it's Ron." All she said was "Umm".

She smiled shyly and considered his startling green eyes. His face was so close. She put her hands on his shoulders, just resting them there, and kept his gaze, she flushed a little. "Kiss me you fool!" They giggled at the old movie line. He brought his lips to hers in a touch so gentle it might have been a dream. Her hands pulled him slightly closer and curled around his neck. He slid his arms around her waist and drew her to him deepening their kiss, still gentle and sweet. She arched her beautiful young body into him and lost all track of time and space and even the kiss. There was just Harry. Impulsive, noble, courageous, silly Harry.

For Harry there was only Hermione, steady, brilliant, lovely Hermione. They surfaced a timeless time later. Harry looked stunned, then suddenly terrified. Hermione smiled into his eyes, a gentle slow smile. He shifted his feet suddenly nervous. "Is it always going to be like that?" Hermione bit her lip. "I've only had one kiss before you, and it wasn't at all like that. This was bloody brilliant, maybe it will always be like that, it's going to be hard to do anything else if it gets any better." Harry grinned like his face would split. "You reckon?" His arms tightened around her and his nose was in her hair. He was purring, or maybe it was her.

"OI! You two! Give it a break and come play a game!" The very last thing Harry wanted was to be out of reach of Hermione. "Naw mate, I'm going to hang out here with Hermione, I have some stuff I need to know." "Well don't learn to fast Scary Harry, your only fifteen." Harry waved them off with what he hoped was dignity. "Did you just put them off hoping for a snog or did you really have a question?" "Some of both actually. Questions first you reckon? May take a while to get to it if I get to kiss you again." She nodded firmly.

"Right then. What is it about the magical world that there is a semi-permanent Dark Lord?" It seems no sooner is one gone than another is gathering followers and power. They resolved to ask Dumbledore some questions concerning this. How many had he seen? Had they all risen the same way? Had they all fallen the same way? Was the magical world just destined for melodrama or was something so out of balance that the only stability was the constant chaos of Dark Lord rising, Dark Lord defeated mixed in with the occasional war between magical species. Had there ever been a centaur, elven, goblin, giant, dragon, troll Dark Lord? Hermione decided whatever History of Magic expert there was whose name wasn't Binns.

By now the whole gang was sitting around listening and contributing to the discussion, deeply involved. It seemed that they liked the ideas and had wondered about parts of them but just went on as that was the way it was. Luna was especially intent on the discussion, but didn't say anything, not even anything random.

Hermione asked a question of the group that deeply concerned her. "Can the Ministry be evolved to a structure that will support equal treatment and expand freedom for all beings, magical and non." The group exploded at this idea. They were all clear that the Ministry was behind the muggle times by a good 150 to 200 years. None of them had a clear idea of the underpinnings of the Ministries structure and it's claim to power. By what right did it rule? The magical lords of the time had refused to sign the Magna Carta, the underpinning of democracy in the United Kingdom. Did that mean that magical beings were direct subjects of the Crown? No one could answer. What mechanisms were in place to change the Ministry? What was it's aim? It seemed to have a major goal of perpetuating itself like any good bureaucracy. It was quite good at keeping the magical world hidden. It was excellent at collecting taxes. It was demonstrably unable to protect its citizens from a terrorist as shown by the first war. It was demonstrably unable to enforce justice equally as shown by the cases of Sirius Black and Lucius Malfoy as well as the sanctioned treatment of any non pureblood. Neville who had not a bigoted bone in his pureblood body squirmed at this but admitted it was fair. Hermione was furious at History of Magic classes. She should know this information. She would know it if it had been presented to her.

The discussion moved inside for a meal and Madam Longbottom joined in with a perspective the group must honor. She had lost a son and daughter in law to the last war. She was an old line pureblood and a pillar of magical society. She listened carefully and had her say and listened again. She was actually excited to hear discussion of changing the Ministry that had so failed her son and looked primed to fail her grandson. She claimed that a sense of duty to what is good and right, the sense that one was compelled by their own expectations of themselves to be true and moral and to fight for what was right which had been widely held when she was a girl had failed. No one dared to say that every generation said that of itself. She admitted knowing of 2 Dark Lords Grindewald and Riddle. She had lost her husband to Grindewald and her son and daughter in law to Riddle. Hermione asked her the approximate magical population of Magical Britannia at the time of her birth. Augusta's best recollection was in the area of 50,000 people. At the present time there were maybe 20,000 and the population of the nation had grown exponentially. Conversation stopped for a second as they looked at one another. Given that rate of loss at the end of their generations time the group of them could expect 2 offspring between them all. The silence stretched. Harry broke it. "There is some force at work here. We have to figure out what it is and stop it if we want our children to be safe." Every head nodded. They agreed to meet the next day at the Ministry which kept records of all magical births and deaths.

Neville's party wasn't big on celebration but would always be remembered by the people who attended it. Neville did open his presents and was happy to have them more for who gave them to him than for what they were. He had been a lonely boy and now he was a valued member in a large group of true friends. That was his biggest present. He had other birthday parties, but this one was with friends. They made their various ways home, a thoughtful bunch. The dinner table discussion at the Weasleys would be quite spirited, but much more serious than usual.

Harry and Hermione headed back to Grimmauld Place so that she could catch the Dobby Express to her house. Harry asked her to dinner and she accepted. They arranged to have a dinner for two in the library, there was a nice fireplace, and it was one of Hermione's favorite rooms, one she had redecorated, with ladders sliding along the shelves in gleaming brass tracks inlaid in the polished oak floors. Sirius had given her and Remus an allowance to obtain more modern materials for the library and a better present wasn't available than that for those two. Dobby set a nice table, two places by the fire.

Dobby warned the Marauders that he would hex them to hell if they pranked the couple tonight. "Hes bloody scary Mooney. Never seen an elf like that. I think he would hurt us." "Of course he would Paddy. This is the night. You owe me 20 galleons." "Wait for it you git, it could be midnight." "Who has after midnight?" "Dan and Emma"

Dobby brought them fresh baked rolls, steak, mashed potatoes, stir fried vegetables, a salad, and a fruit and cheese plate. He brought them each a glass of wine with their main course, a nice shiraz from Australia. They talked a little about the party and all they had learned and hoped to learn.

Finally Harry asked her if she would go out with him that weekend to see a movie and have dinner. They argued companionably about what movie and what dinner and decided that Hermione would pick the movie and Harry the dinner. He would pick her up with a car at six on Saturday. They picked at the fruit, especially liking the mango. "Will you be driving the Ferrari then?" "No, I don't have the experience to drive that thing, and it's a bit flash for me, I'll get us a hire car and driver. Anything you fancy by way of a car?" "Nothing in particular, just you know, safe and reliable." It felt like diplomatic negotiations. "So not the Knight bus then?" She giggled and he relaxed just a bit.

"Hermione? What do you fancy doing after Hogwarts, assuming we haven't a damn Dark Dork to fight?" She gave it a moments thought. "Well I had my mind all made up on helping to free house elves, but with some of the questions we came up with today I don't truly know. I am afraid politics may be involved. I hate the idea but I don't see any way around it." "Oi so it's Mr. Thatcher for me is it?" "Is there a Mrs. Fudge?" They shuddered at the thought. "Maybe its that Umbridge woman. Horrible toad woman, you should hear Remus about her, she pushes for a lot of the discriminatory legislation the Ministry puts out about werewolves and centaurs and such. I met her when I was in the Ministry for some guardian paperwork. Very nasty piece of business, she made my scar hurt." "Death Eater then?" "No just evil in her own right I reckon."

"How about you Harry?" He was passionate, intense "I want to know what magic is, what it does and how. How to make it and use it. Why it works. A magical physicist I think would be closest. Does that make sense? I love magic but I don't understand it. I want to understand it, why it acts as it does. Why are all the best books so old you have to use dead languages to read them? Why are all the strongest magics ancient? Did we take some wrong turning? Are we wearing magic out or understanding it less and less correctly?" "Do you think logic applies Harry?" "It does to every other part of the world. Occam's razor Hermione." "Odd isn't it, those seem like the careers someone would pick for the other of us. Hermione equals research, Harry equals change in the status quo, the fight for justice." "Lets make Ron do the politics and we can do the research. I would love to work with you." They fell silent and just looked at one another.

"Hermione?" "Hmm?" "Can we move to a couch, I am desperate to kiss you and can't work out how to get close enough." "Oh thats easy Harry, you stand up, walk over to my chair, and kiss me, simple really." She grinned at him, daring him.

Seeker reflexes took over and he was on one knee, eye level and inches away, without seeming to move. She started a bit. "Well apparition is a bit extreme but it would appear the gentleman is interested in the lady." "The gentleman is indeed most interested in the lady." His voice was much lower and rather growled. Her head turned to him, almost on a ratchet, a click at a time, she was that tense.

He studied her lips, moist and he imagined the taste of mango on them. His breath was coming in short panting gasps. Hermione put a finger to his lips. "Easy Harry we have our whole lives, relax, I'm right here, I will be right here, I've always been right here." Harry let out a whoosh of breath and fought to relax, cursed, and scooped her into his arms. He was at her throat with tender nips and soft kisses along her jawline. He nuzzled behind her ear. He rubbed his cheek on hers, and his lips, and smelled her, clean and mango and Hermione, that scent of her, her warm smell. He found her mouth and kissed her fully, not harsh but claiming her, wanting her. Her arms wrapped his neck and his shoulders, she felt tiny and powerful, captured and victorious. He claimed her and he was hers.

He broke the kiss to get them to a couch rather than break their necks trying to find one by echo location. She stayed in his arms and ended in his lap both cuddled in a corner of the couch. This time she found his lips and explored his face with her hands, the tips of her long delicate fingers tracing his jaw, the line of his nose, his throat, and finally his scar. He flinched, but she laid her hand flat over the scar. "Its a part of you. If I am to love you I will love all of you. Please let me." It was his greatest surrender that he kept still and let her feel that of him he hated so much. She shuddered. "We WILL kill him Harry and you WILL NOT die. We will live long and prosper." They made the Vulcan hand sign, grinned and came back some from the deep end where love undying is declared. It was not time yet. Neither doubted that it would be time. They soaked into a languorous long line of tender kisses and silent nuzzles, gentle tracings of arms and the curves of waists and the fit of hands. Their bodies learning one another, souls accepting where they now were, some great height had been scaled.

A soft knock on the door and Dobby entered. "Mistress your father wonders if you are coming home? It is getting late." Hermione bounced upright and looked for her shoes, kicked off sometime in the last while. "Oh yes Dobby, I will be right there, let me just find my damn shoes. Oh thanks Harry." Harry stood and scooped her to him one more time, gave her a quick peck and muttered "thank you Mione, see you tomorrow." "Dobby will you please pop Hermione home so she is no later?" Dobby grinned and popped away with Hermione's eyes the last Harry saw of her. They looked brilliant.

The Marauders bounded into the room. "Well young Harry! And how was your evening?" "Please tell me you were not listening to our whole dinner." "Oh is it called dinner now? When did it change from seduction? Did you know it's dinner now Moony?" "You filthy dog you asked me to dinner last week!" "But I didn't know old man, I thought dinner was like having food together not planning your life together and kissing for hours. I feel so soiled Moony, please accept my abject apologies and how about dinner on Saturday, the Ferrari is free I hear." "To flash for me old boy." "Sometimes I hate you two!"

Dobby popped back into the scene of the Marauders pretending horror with Harry glowering at the men and sighed. Leave them alone for a minute. "Dobby is she alright then?" "Yes Master Harry, she is home safe. She is crying though. I don't know why. I was asking Winky, but Winky hits me." The Marauders roared until Dobby snapped his fingers twice. They were frozen in place. "I be leaving them there for a while Master Harry. They should behave. Winky is telling me Mistress Hermione is loving you a long time, you don't worry, you are a great wizard Master Harry it will all be well." Harry gave Dobby a one shoulder manly hug turned both Marauders pink with clashing boa's and very short skirts and went to bed. He could hear Dobby taking pictures. It had been quite a day.

Two days later as evening settled over England a black hire car slid into the drive of Hermione's house. Harry stepped out of the back of the car and skittered to the door took a deep breath and knocked twice. He was just raising his hand to knock again when the door opened and Mr. Granger gave the first volley of the beady eye death glare. "Well Harry, right on time, come in won't you? I want to have a word. Hermione is getting ready, she should be down soon. Right this way Harry. A firm grip maneuvered Harry into a study and the door clunked shut with finality.

"Harry tell me what are your plans for the evening?" Harry gulped and dared direct eye contact. "Dinner and a movie sir. Hermione is picking the movie and I have dinner planned." "Where will you be eating Harry?" "I found a nice Italian restaurant near the movie theater that I hope she will like. Bonjourno's. It has a good Michelin rating, have you heard of it sir?"

Mr. Granger was having a wonderful time. If Harry didn't melt soon from the blush he would surely self combust.

"Yes, Emma and I have been there, a nice place, bit pricey but very good food." Harry breathed a little relief. This was horribly uncomfortable however the restaurant at least passed muster.

"Did your guardians have to advance your allowance for this evening Harry? You don't work do you? Busy with school and all aren't you?"

"Um no sir, my guardians didn't advance any allowance. My parents left me their estate, I have only recently learned that. It seems to be quite a lot of money and property. I need to learn more about it sir. I am sure that this expense will be quite easy to cover though. I don't work other than school and training, not since I left my relatives. I was responsible for the house when I lived there, but never had a job as such with pay or anything."

"What do you mean responsible for the house Harry?"

"Well sir I cooked and did the cleaning, took care of the lawn and garden, did any chores that needed doing, kept the car in shape."

"That seems a lot of work lad, when did you start to do all that?"

"Oh I always did that sir, since I can remember."

"You always did that? How old were you when you began to cook the meals?"

"As soon as I could reach the stove sir. I was doing the dishes before that. I think maybe five or so? I didn't know my age for a long time sir, actually till I started school."

Mrs. Granger came to the door of the study and glared at Dan. "If you have quite finished the interrogation Dan, Hermione is ready to leave."

"Oh quite. Fine then, thank you for talking with me Harry, and remember to have her back before 12 or it's pumpkin time for you both."

Harry blushed even harder. "Yes sir, back by twelve, no worries." Harry nodded like a german shepherd on the window ledge of a low rider. The trio moved back to the foyer. Hermione was waiting for them, foot tapping with impatience. She wore a soft deep blue cashmere sweater, and a matching knee length skirt. Her hair was semi tamed into a knot, her slender neck and strong shoulders in sharp relief from the overhead light. She had used a faint tracing of makeup and her warm eyes were darting around nervously.

Harry stood gobsmacked. "Hermione you look wonderful! It's so good to see you!" Harry half reached for her, his hand awkwardly waving in mid air, undecided if he was reaching for her hand to shake or to take, or to discover just how soft that sweater was. The hand flopped back to his side.

"You look quite well yourself Harry." He was in charcoal gray slacks, a black turtleneck with a gray tweed jacket that fit him well. His shoes were obviously well made and glowing with the best polish Dobby could manage on them. He looked older and very delectable despite his customary hair disaster.

"Well shall we be off then Mione?" She nodded quickly and stepped to him as her father opened the door.

"Back by midnight kids, be careful and have fun." Their response overlapped assuring him that all would be well and that their return would be timely.

Harry took Hermione's hand as they moved to the car and the driver opened the door for them. "Hermione have you met Kingsley Shaklebolt? He's an auror and will be guarding us tonight. He promises we won't be disturbed unless it's safety related."

"Hello Mr. Shacklebolt, nice to meet you. Thank you for your care this evening." Shack nodded and smiled, shutting the door once the teens were inside. He saluted the watching parents and slid the car easily into traffic and away.

"So how was he? My mum wanted to box his ears him but he insisted he had a god given right to question my date to the point of tears."

"He made a fair bid at it Hermione. He was interested in my work history and finances. Felt a bit like interviewing for a job actually. I told him a bit about my chores for the Dursleys and that my parents had left me their things. He seemed alright with all that."

"Oh him! I can't believe he was asking such silly Victorian questions of you!"

"He was just trying to stay with the times I imagine. The magical times that is."

The gathering dark turned the landscape into shadows and lights, softly glowing. The car pulled up in front of a move theatre billing a rerun of the Star Wars trilogy for the weekend. "Have you seen this Harry? It's brilliant! Bit dated now, but still amazing. I hope you like it!"

"I've heard of it Mione, never seen it though. Dubbers had some of the games and such but he ruined them pretty quickly.

It was a few hours later and the three of them were in a fast and furious discussion mapping the characters and events of the movie they had seen onto their present conflict with Riddle and his psychopaths. It was an enjoyable exercise and there were notable similarities. Harry totally rejected Snape as Vader shuddering at the very thought. Shack was Mace Windu, Harry as Luke, and Mione as Princess Leia. They were pretty squicked out at the brother sister and were quick to accept a less perfect topological mapping. Harry was desperate for a light saber, an Xwing and a speeder bike.

The discussion continued over the excellent meal at Bongiorno's with Shack sitting a few tables away so as to be available if required. The teens talk drifted onto more personal matters starting with Harry's conversation with Mr. Granger. Slowly they uncovered the parts of themselves that were not for public consumption, the hurts of childhood that still ached in the small hours. Although Harry had more and deeper wounds and was incredibly protective of them, Hermione was by no means unscathed. The talk slowed and they spent long minutes just staring at one another. Shack's discrete cough and reminder of the time allowed the long suffering wait staff to finally close out the evening.

The hire car slid into the drive at the Grangers a few minutes before midnight. An entry light turned on and flashed once. Harry and Hermione turned to one another from the comfortable slouch they had been in, murmuring nothing of importance on the way home. Harry slid out of the car and around to open Hermione's door and handed her out. They meandered up the walk to the entrance and stood for a second eye to eye with shy smiles flickering. Gently they kissed a bit.

"I hope you enjoyed your evening Miss Granger."

"I did indeed Mr. Potter, perhaps we might meed again, this date thing is not to terrible."

"Perhaps next weekend then? I will call you for planning or we can talk over what might be fun during training?"

"Perfect Harry, see you tomorrow. I had better get in before it's pumpkin time."

The door of the house opened to reveal a not so patient Mr. Granger.

"Right then kids, say good night and lets all be off to our seperate beds!"

Harry nodded to Mr. Granger and Hermione, kissed her cheek, murmured goodnight, wheeled and walked to the car. He heard her groan "DAD!" and the door close. A vast sense of relief came over him as Kingsley and he got back into the car. They drove around the corner and appeared at Grimmauld Place. Shack glanced at Harry's bugged out eyes. "Cars a portkey Potter. Saves time." Harry nodded and stumbled into number 12 Grimmauld, glad the high tension night was over.

Or almost over. There was the debriefing from the Marauders to get through, with observations from Kingsley who seemed to feel that his memory of the whole angsty ritual was required.

Eventually Dobby had to take a hand and after the required transformations Dobby had an excellent collection of blackmail material neatly filed away for future use. There was a clown theme in use for this round.

Harry fell asleep wondering if a light saber could deflect a killing curse. One more thing to put on his list of things to know.


	7. Chapter 6 Population Bomb

Remus was very interested in their population research project. He hadn't thought of the decline in population in the stark terms the crew from Neville's party gave it. He accompanied Hermione, Harry, and Ginny to the Hall of Records where they met Luna and Neville. Ginny's brothers would read the synopsis on her return. A bit of a lie in was a good thing for a young man on a summer day. Or for a "lazy git" as Harry put it.

Hermione organized the research. She had them copy out the names of those born with magic in a given month of a target year, 1950, and then compare those names against the death records. At first all they knew for sure was that being a pre-Hogwarts magical child was a pretty dangerous occupation. Many died between birth and entering Hogwarts. They studied the birth records, containing the names of the parents and checked the blood status of the parents once Hermione noticed an absence of purebloods dying. It was quickly obvious that if a child was born of non magical parents the child's odds of attaining school age were not good. In almost every case the cause of death was some form of violence. It seemed Riddle was an amateur. Hermione took all their notes, and told them she would prepare a report. They adjourned to Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. No one felt hungry. They looked into the distance at a century of organized child murders. The problem was so horrifying that it was hard to think about.

Hermione was finally able to start. "Well we have to find the unpures that are yet to enter school and are still alive and figure out a way to protect them. We have to warn them. What can we do?" The rest of the group was sluggish with shock. Harry was the first to stir. "Portkeys to a safe spot. Form a group of the parents for mutual aid and support. Train them to protect their children, train the families in evasion and escape. Infiltrate the Ministry to see who gets reports of births. Cover as many targets as we can and hope to catch a killer. Question the killer to see who they are and how they are organized. I need to talk to Dobby. Get elves in muggleborn and mixed blood houses as guards and protectors." He was silent a moment. "This is bad. This is worse than Riddle. We need to be very careful, whoever is behind this is smart and very very sneaky. I am scared to talk about it out here. We need a lot of advice and help on this."

Hermione thought a minute. "I am going to write the ICW, I want to know if other countries are experiencing this kind of population drop or if the magical population is relatively static against the muggle population, I can cover it as an extra credit report." Harry and Remus nodded, it was a good point. Just how far did this go? Harry shivered and forced down bile.

Harry spoke up finally "Well while we are all here, lets go get extra wands. I want a back up wand available if I get disarmed. If you don't have the galleons, thats fine I will pay, and you can pay me back when you can." So the group trouped off to Olivanders to do a bit of shopping. It took a while but everyone had a wand they could use now, in fact Neville had two, as he had been using his fathers which was not a good match for him. They all got auror grade wand holsters for both their wands, enchanted to repel summoning and to release the wand on mental command of the owner and only the owner. The Weasleys were very difficult to talk into accepting the gift until Harry promised to take the cost out in trade for military grade pranks.

The group flooed back to Grimmauld Place after their shopping and fact finding missions.

Remus sat thinking. To go undercover and try to suss out the organization killing the children would take time and a great deal of care. They already knew the targets and how to protect them. Ideally in the process of protecting the children the organization could be brought to battle and destroyed or driven into uselessness. It would be possible to comb the records for all the children to the age of eleven of mixed or muggle blood who were still alive but it would take a long time. They had enough to prove skulduggery.

Remus spoke up "Isn't this information already at Hogwarts? Doesn't Hogwarts maintain a list of upcoming students?" Hermione nodded her best logical nod. Remus stepped to the floo putting in a call for Minerva McGonagall. He talked with her briefly saying that he had come across something he would like to show her in an hour or so, would she be available? She agreed to be in floo range.

Harry and Hermione got busy with quill and parchment boiling down the facts retrieved from the Hall of Records. When Harry and Hermione had the report in something like order, they copied it and handed it to Remus, who put it through to McGonagall. He asked her to read it and get back to them when she had.

Dobby brought in snacks and Harry took him aside. "Dobby my friend I need to talk to you. I need to know how we can get a lot of elves? Do you know how to find elves that want work?" "Master Harry does not know where elves come from?" Harry blushed. "I assumed a boy elf and a girl elf fall in love and have little elves?" Dobby looked at Harry with pity. "No Master Harry Potter sir. That is not the way of it. When a Master commands his elves, they breed. When the little elves are born the Master selects the strongest and kills any others unless he can sell them or has need. Dobby thought Harry Potter knew these things?" "No Dobby I had no idea. I would have been trying to do something if I had known." Dobby shrugged "What can be done? It is the way of it."

Harry rounded on him, furious, his magic roiling like an storm around him "Here is the way of it in our house Dobby. If you or Winky decide you would like children you go ahead and have them. I think you like one another but that is not my business. It is your business and Miss Winky's business. I want you both to have as many children as you would like, and I swear to protect them and you. Please get me as many elves as you can Dobby. Buy them from other houses. We will be sending the elves to the houses of little witches and wizards whose parents are muggle. The elves are to protect the houses and especially the families. Can you start on that please? Can you get word to all elves that none of their children need to die? House Black and House Potter will buy them so long as we can. If the price gets too high, we will steal them. But no more die."

Dobby peered at Harry as if he had never seen him. "Aye Master Harry Potter sir. Dobby will tell the elves. Will you be keeping Dobby and Winky sir?" "Always, and all your children till they are grown and ready for lives of their own." "May Dobby go talk to Winky now sir?" "Yes Dobby and give her my love." They both made sketchy nervous bows to one another. Dobby popped away to Hermione's house. Harry hoped to be invited to an elven wedding soon.

Harry rejoined the group and started brainstorming safe places for those under attack. The floo flared and a very disturbed Minerva McGonagall stepped through the report clutched in her hand. "Tell me about this." Her voice crackled with outrage. It was Hermione of course who answered the teacher. It was always Hermione answering the teacher. Harry hid a small smile.

Hermione gave an outline of the discussion at the party and Mrs. Longbottom's revelation of decline of the magical population over the course of the twentieth century. Hermione told her about the selection of a target month and how they had noticed the deaths almost being exclusively children of muggles or mixed marriages and due to violence. McGonagall made the point that magical children did suffer from risks that muggles didn't, that accidental magic could be deadly. She didn't dispute their conclusion though. She asked what they planned to do with the information. They asked for a copy of the Hogwarts records with the addresses of prospective students and she assured them they could have those records provided she and the Headmaster approved each action concerning the members of the list. The records were linked to the Ministry by some clever clerical charm and were self updating. Then McGonagall joined in on the discussion of next steps and long term goals. She did warn them of a firestorm if they went public and advised caution.

Harry and Remus made a quick trip to Gringotts for information about Potter lands. He asked to speak to someone familiar with the Potter estate. Remus and he were led to a private room and seated with tea. Quite quickly a goblin came in and introduced himself as Flashpint. He took the chair behind the desk.

"Hello sir, I am Harry Potter and I have a question about properties that may be in the Potter estate. I need a large area that can be well protected. Does the estate have such a property?" "When you say large Mr. Potter?" "I mean an area that can house several hundred people in temporary fashion and total security." "A building that size sir?" "No it could be an open field with a lot of tents, that would be fine." "Yes in that case there are many Potter lands that could be used to accommodate a large collection of tents. The land could be warded and put under very strong defensive charms. At present you do not have a property so warded." Harry nodded. "Thank you, please give me a list of three properties that are not particularly productive, are well drained, and in a good climate. I will select one and see to the warding. Do you require to know which I select?" "No sir it is your affair, and your guardians." "I will get his permission. Do you require him to inform you that I have his permission?" "No sir, Mr. Lupin is here, Mr. Lupin is empowered to act in his stead." Harry nodded. "May I also have a list of Potter buildings if there are any? I would like to see them." The goblin handed Harry a list of three locations and another list with eight coordinates and names. "I will have the caretakers open the floo connections for you and your guardians Mr. Potter." Harry stood and bowed. "Please add Miss Hermione Jean Granger to the floo permissions. Thank you for your time. May your gold always flow." The goblin nodded a bit bemused.

"Harry why did you not have Gringotts do the security on the land?" "I am not sure where they are in this mess. I figured I can hire Bill Weasley and whoever he recommends and ask the Headmaster and that should be about as good as it will get don't you think?" Remus grinned. "James had an excellent head for business although he never saw it that way."

Harry handed Remus the list of properties and asked him if he knew of any of them. Remus recognized the coordinates for the house in Godric's Hollow. He also knew the coordinates of James parents house, which he said was quite large and very pretty in the Scottish Highlands. He didn't know the other locations or names.

Harry and Remus stopped by the Ministry to pick up some forms Harry needed then Remus took Harry to the three farm properties that Gringotts had provided. One was especially nice, a large flat space atop rolling hills with a forest nearby. There were no buildings visible from the property. They agreed it was the best location by far.


	8. Chapter 7 House Hunting

Harry spent an evening filling out the forms he had picked up at the Ministry. There were two applications for a wireless network. Hermione and Harry had decided to break the hold of the Daily Prophet on news coverage. He listed the purpose of one as entertainment and news and the other as business communication. The paperwork was rudimentary and the cost of the Ministry seal of approval was well within his budget. He sent the applications off with Hegwig after Sirius cosigned them. He flooed the twins about wireless equipment. The heads in the fire looked at one another and said in unison "Lee." Their friend Lee Jordan had a wireless hobby and knew about building transmitters. Harry got the name of his house and floo called him.

"Hello may I speak to Lee Jordan please?" The fire was quiet for a minute then Lee's dreadlocked head showed up. "Harry whats going on?" "Lee I was just talking to the twins and they said you know a lot about wizard wireless equipment. I need two top of the line transmitters able to reach all of the Magical Britannia, can you build them for me or tell me where to get them? I will pay you for your time and the material you need." "Harry, mate, thats a dream come true! I would love to do that. I can have them done before school. What are you going to do with them?" "Well Lee the WWN is pretty lame, I mean hours of Celestina Warbeck, come on, it would be nice to have a channel that had a wider selection of music, some of the muggle stuff is brilliant. It would be nice to have a news channel outside the Ministry also."

Lee stepped through the floo connection and talked about the second channel Harry wanted to use as a secure communications network. Harry had envisioned it as a coded multi access channel to rapidly pass information, perhaps even battle orders. There were some issues to work out but with some research (they both thought Hermione and the twins) it would be possible. Lee wanted to be a DJ on the music/news channel. Harry was all for it, having always enjoyed his commentary during Quidditch games. They had a late snack and Lee flooed home to prepare a list of materials.

Harry slept well having done his meditation exercise to aid his mental blocks. Dobby kept watch on him and kept the nightmares from him. He had a quiet night. Riddle being as weak as he was must have made his dreams more his own. It was terrible to think they shared some part of a subconscious.

Harry and Dobby were making breakfast for any that wanted it when the gang flooed in for lessons the next day. Harry had asked if they might all go see the Potter houses, but Sirius wanted to have just the Marauders and Hermione along. "Never know what you might find pup, trust me." Harry was pretty suspicious since they had just managed to turn themselves back to their normal colors. They spent the day in defense practice, combat transfiguration and mental training. They practiced fighting as pairs and enjoyed that quite a lot. Harry Hermione, Ron Luna, Neville Ginny, the twins, the Marauders and whatever other people drifted through. Tonks watched them, having invited herself for lunch. She thought the kids were getting close to beginning auror level. That meant better than outstanding NEWT level defense work. She pointed out some of the restrictions the area put on them, enclosed space, and static partners, she suggested mixing the pairs often but still having a main partner as a way to avoid learning to compensate for a limp as she called it. Mad Eye cuffed her upside the head. They all had lunch, and an hour of meditation. Class was dismissed for the day.

"Do you want to see Godric's Hollow pup?" Harry nodded and squeezed Hermione's hand. Sirius and Remus tossed in the floo power and called the destination, then Hermione, finally Harry. It was a nice fieldstone house, comfortable, good sized rooms and tall ceilings. It was very dusty. They walked around the downstairs looking silly, all packed close to Harry. He liked the kitchen, big windows looked over a meadow in back. French doors led to a patio with tables and a view of a jjQuidditch pitch. They made their way upstairs. Harry's grip on Mione's hand was fierce, but his breathing was level. The Marauders were lost in memories of their good friend and the woman they had all loved in their ways. Harry entered his parents room. Nice plain solid furnishings, nothing flashy, good quality, a large room. He looked through the drawers of the dresser and pocketed a picture of the Marauders and Harry, along with one of his parents and him. Finally he moved to the nursery.

He stood in the doorway and looked. _My mother died right there, right in front of that crib._ It was a fact, with a freight of enormous emotion attached to it. He glanced down to the hall below, the scorch marks of Voldemort's misses marred the walls. _Dad must have been excellent to cause misses in that confined space._ He looked at the crib. _Thats where he did it. Tried to kill me the first time right there._ Harry sent his magic into the room, probing. He stumbled back. "Don't go in there, it's trapped. There is an active curse in that room. We need to get Bill to look at it." Hermione made an "eep" noise. Harry sighed, "Lets see if there is anything else personal of theirs and get out of here." He stared at the hole in the ceiling where the curse had backfired. "Can that be fixed? I like this house, it would be nice to have someone use it." Sirius nodded. "Aye pup, I'll get a Bill in here and have our friends clear out the place before a repair crew fixes it. Your right, it is a nice house, I had forgotten. Harry looked at the Marauders. "Allright you two?" They were both rather watery eyed, but both nodded gamely.

Predictably enough Hermione went to the study and looked through the books making surprised noises, her hands twitching to grab some of the volumes. "Harry come here and look at these please." Harry studied the titles. There were works on the foundations of magic, on magical theory, on the nature of spells. It was base material, examinations of the roots of magic. They felt as if they had entered the Room of Requirement. "Dobby? Winky? If your not busy can you meet us please?" It was a few minutes when an obviously rumpled pair of house elves popped into place by them. "Will you go through this house, pack all the books and papers and bring them to Grimmauld please?" Harry showed them the cursed nursery and warned them to stay out of it until Bill had cleared it. They looked around again. Harry had come expecting only loss and was leaving with hope. The house, despite the evil that had taken place in it, was a pleasant place, it felt comfortable and cheerful.

Sirius threw some floo powder into the fireplace and called "Potter House." The rest followed. This was the house in the Scottish highlands. It was large, no doubt of that, made of a very pale gray stone. They were standing at the front door, which gleamed and were being bowed to by a very old and very proper elf. "Master Harry, it is good to see you well. I am Ackley, head of the elves here at Potter House. Master Sirius, Master Remus, I trust you will behave and break nothing? Mistress Hermione isn't it? My pleasure Mistress, welcome to Potter House. Would you like anything? A drink perhaps?" Two butterbeers and two firewiskeys later the group began their tour. Dobby and Winky popped in. "We is being sure you don't need anything Master Harry, Missy Hermione."

Ackley arched his impeccable eyebrow and introduced himself. Harry intervened and told Ackley that Dobby was in his personal service as Winky was in Hermiones and that they were responsible only to him and her. He introduced the elves as "our friends." Ackley bowed a slight amount "Mistress Lily was friends with several of the elves here." "May we meet the elves please Ackley?" Ackley snapped his fingers and they were swarmed by elves, a great many elves. "How many elves are there here Ackley?" "If Dankie gives birth today, we expect to be 38." Ackley looked extremely nervous. Harry let out a great sigh. "Thats wonderful. I expect Mum and Dad told you to have as many children as you felt you wanted?" Ackley nodded, sweating now. "Good I didn't quite know how to phrase my desire that should be the case. I have some work I would like you all to consider. It is important work, but would involve leaving this land. I would like you to guard the children of people who are mixed blood or who have muggles for parents. Someone is killing the children and I think elves would help keep the families safe. Are any of you willing?" Harry was please to learn that the actual maintenance of Potter House only required about 7 elves and that every elf there was willing to protect children and families.

First stop was the library. Sirus told Harry how to set the floo so Hermione and he could floo to the house from Grimmauld, the Burrow and Hogwarts. Sirius discussed the care of the house with Ackley who seemed to be expecting a prank. Hermione was over the top about the library. The collection stopped about 15 years ago, however it was very extensive and some of the holdings were possibly unique. She found the Potter family Grimoire but couldn't open it. Harry could but a lot of it was blank. They guessed that it had an age limiter on it. Hermione thought he would be able to read all the pages once he was an adult. There was a whole section on using magic to aid in physical evasion during a duel, faster reflexes, banish and summoning spells that would let the fighter cover large distances very quickly without breaking themselves into bits. The combat implications of that magic was staggering. Harry would truly bounce off the walls. That book went in his pack.

It was a beautiful house, but too big for Harry, seven bedrooms was a bit much. The grounds were interesting, including a large greenhouse and a Quidditch pitch. The mountains in which the house nestled looked familiar and they learned that Hogsmeade was only a few kilometers away. Ackley had used part of the greenhouse to grow food for the elves and the surrounding land had provided meat; venison, chicken, beef, lamb. The place was fairly self sustaining and actually made a profit with some of the potion ingredients Mistress Lily had planted. Harry thanked everyone and told them to expect assignment in the near future.

The next house was in the south of France, on the Riviera coast. The view was spectacular. The house was a lovely stucco building, more farmhouse than cottage, not nearly as grand as Potter House. Four bedrooms, a library - sitting room an open airy feel. This house included stables with horses in residence and another mass of elves, over 20. It seemed Lily had liked to ride along the beach with James when they were here. The place was self supporting due to the vineyards and produced some of the finest of elf made wines. Sirius and Remus were quivering with eagerness to restock Grimmauld's cellar and were readily obliged.

Harry confirmed Miss Lily's orders to elves, to have the children they wanted. They asked for support to protect the children in the United Kingdom. Sirius was hauled aside to hear about some good land that had come for sale and that would enable the wine production to double. The mutt was almost panting in his eagerness to approve the purchase. Harry made up his mind to try some of the wine. The mutt usually didn't act this way. Hermione and Harry both wanted to spend some time in the warm sun, riding on the beach, it sounded like heaven. Sirius set the floo connection so they all had access from Grimmauld, Hogwarts, and Potter House and they left for the next property.

The next four properties were commercial buildings in London, Paris, New York and Sydney. They were managed by humans, muggleborns who reported to Gringotts. The buildings were in good repair and made money on the rents, being in very desirable areas of those cities. They shook hands and made quick exits.

The last property was called The Retreat. Neither Sirius nor Remus had been there or heard of it. They flooed into paradise. It was located on a small Caribbean island, a moderate size house, built of stone and stucco, with large areas of windows. It looked vaguely Art Deco and was breathtaking. It sat in a cove with quite a large sailboat at anchor and a lovely beach. The gardens were spectacular and contained many obviously magical plants, not dangerous, just exotic and beautiful. The house was staffed by elves, about 40 of them, all relieved to hear Mistress Lily's orders were to being kept in place. All offered to help with the protection of the families and children.

Hermione hit the library first as was only right and just. Harry hit the beach. The Marauders stood on the veranda, the gleaming white sloop rocking slightly in front of them, the elves fighting a continuous battle to protect it from the salt air, and only winning due to magic. The place felt deeply magical, so magical they all commented on it. It was an earthy passionate magic. Harry looked for what he knew must be there. The house was surrounded by a porch with hammocks and lounge chairs, small tables with a few chairs. Harry opened a door and sure enough there were a few brooms, older models now, but still, brooms. "Mione, going on a three hour tour by broom, want to come explore?" She reluctantly set aside a book and joined him. Remus had never been more than competent on a broom but it seemed a great way to tour the island. The elves had said the only other inhabitants were magical people. They mounted up and Hermione slid on behind Harry. "No stunts please Harry." Harry nodded and kicked off. They soared out over the ocean gobsmacked by the colors and the clarity of the water, they could see fish like clouds moving along the reef and larger darker shadows of much bigger fish. Dolphins spouted and raced with their shadows. They curved to follow the shore line and saw the occasional building set back to take advantage of the shade. There were not a lot of other houses and all seemed empty. The island rose to a peak, not a mountain but certainly a good big hill. Having finished the Magellan tour they flew to the peak and circled it. There was a path that led from the jungle to a cave in the peak. They landed at the entrance and went to see what they could see. The sense of powerful magic was overwhelming to Harry.

Harry felt no warning and no evil but asked the others what they sensed, if they could feel the magic. Remus said he did, Sirius could sense it and Hermione was incensed that she didn't feel anything different. To Harry it was primal, animal. Maybe the wolf and the dog felt it. "Yes Harry the wolf feels it, he is not afraid, but he is respectful. I would suggest caution. We should make no disturbance here." Sirius agreed. It was normal to have Remus suggest caution and when Sirius agree they were always right. They entered, Remus first, wands lit and walked down a rough hewn tunnel carved in the volcanic rock. Torches lit as they moved into the darkness so they murmured "Nox" but kept their wands in hand. The tunnel had no branches just the one path into the depths of the island. The sense of magic was almost overwhelming. Hermione could feel it now at the edge of her abilities.

The tunnel opened into a cavern. The walls had been smoothed and there were paintings on them. Paintings that reeked of age, these paintings had existed long long before Spain had sent her convoys through these waters with the gold of the Incas. They resembled the cave drawings Hermione had seen in France of the earliest men fighting cave lions and sabertooth tigers.

"Hermione look at these pictures with me, give me your opinion of what they are about." The group walked slowly around the room looking carefully at the walls. The scenes were beautifully drawn on smoothed portions of stone. The colors were fresh and bold, the style was flat, no use of perspective, the figures shown were variously humans, snakes, a few towering almost angelic figures, and some magical creatures. Clearly centaurs were present. And dragons. It didn't seem to be a battle scene but clearly there were two sides separated by the towering figures who were the alien looking and fiercely beautiful. They seemed to stand guard before the unicorns, centaurs, humans and elves. They faced the snakes, dragons, humans, and demons of the other side. The two sides were separated by the aliens at one point of the circle and by the entranceway on the other.

"It looks like the Elders are guarding the Light side from the Dark and that whoever enters, enters between the sides. Is this a place of choosing?" "Seems a good guess Hermione. I wonder where the other end of the path goes. Perhaps those who keep the path open have answers. We should be cautious though, we don't know which side they may have chosen. I suggest we return to the house and ask the elves what they know. They have local experience." They all agreed with Remus.

In short order they were back at The Retreat. They elves knew of the cave but never went there. Harry didn't push for answers although he had questions for them about it. Harry asked Hermione if she though her parents might like to spend the evening and the next day at the island. The Grangers had a penchant for sun and beaches. Hermione flooed called home and caught them coming in the door.

"Mum, Dad you have to see what we have found, please pack some overnight things and come join us at The Retreat, you'll love it. Sirius and Remus are here, so there is some quasi-adult supervision, but you need to see this." The elves were happy to prepare the house for guests again while the Marauders snarked about "quasi-adult."

Soon Sirius stepped through to the Granger's house, and set the fireplace so it connected to the Retreat. Harry had asked that they be put on the floo along with Hermione. The elves assigned rooms. All five bedrooms would be occupied, Harry got the master suite. Hermione's room shared a door with Harry's. The Marauders had a room each and Mione's parents shared a room. Neither Harry nor Mione mentioned their connecting door to the adults.

The elves served dinner on the "Shimmer", the sailboat, as it cruised out of the cove and rushed over the sea in the brisk trade winds. The Grangers fell deeper in love with magic when Hermione was able to cast an anti nausea spell on them as well as Harry who was looking decidedly greenish. Dinner was pan seared cobia and tropical fruit, a light cheese, dirty rice, black bean soup, and a delicious ceviche, a fish dish made of raw fish and citrus juice mixed with a light coarse salsa. The elves were amazing as crew, they knew and loved the Shimmer, she was their pride and they got everything out of her. She was equipped for long cruises and had two staterooms. At fifty feet on the water line she was a good size boat, nothing to challenge a hurricane in, but a good size for cruising. Gleaming white aluminum hull, bronze fittings, teak and mahogany, her varnish and fittings were perfect. Her spinnaker was Gryffindor red with a gold lion.

They put about and headed back to the cove as the sun sank. They watched for the green flash but didn't see it, though the elves said they had seen it many times. They tied to the permanent mooring and used the dingy to shore. It had been a long day and the kids headed to bed trying to look casual, like they weren't thinking of a certain door. Daniel's eyebrows started to meet until Emma patted him and murmured "trust them, they are good kids". The Marauders pretended not to hear.

Harry showered and got into light pajamas and a light robe, it did get just a bit cool in the tropics at night. He tapped at the joining door. There was silence for a long time then she cracked the door and whispered "What Harry?" Harry had no damn idea what. He just knew she was near and there were beds and he loved her. Couldn't say that though. "Meet me on the balcony?" She nodded eagerly. Their rooms shared a nice balcony that overlooked the cove and the Shimmer. There was a small table and an elf brought them cups of hot cocoa, not your average cocoa, but made with the kind of chocolate that is traded ounce for ounce with gold.

They sat holding the hot cups and each others hands, the night breeze playing in their hair. "I love sailing Mione, I could live here it's so beautiful and calm. It feels a million miles from Riddle." She nodded and leaned her head back against her chair. The line of her throat stopped his heart. Her breasts arched against the thin tropical fabrics and breathing became difficult for him. He studied the starlight on the ocean. A dolphin blew in the cove. "Can we stay tomorrow do you suppose? The elves said there was some gillyweed and they would take us to see the reef and maybe get some fish for dinner. And don't forget another Potter library." "You don't have to sell me Potter, already sold. I'm thinking of say February and being snowed in at Hogwarts and a quick floo to here and dinner on the Shimmer just like tonight. Thank god for the invisibility cloak." Harry was so crazy about her and so desperate to be sure of her. He hated the unsureness, the feeling of dangling in space with her. He needed to know she was his.

"Hermoine? Will you be my girlfriend? I promise to take care of you and love you, I will never harm you or let anyone else harm you." She sat very still and quiet. Finally she said something almost a whisper. "Did you say you love me?" Harry blushed and looked at her like she was crazed. "Of course Mione, I have for years. It's different now though. I never used to think of your body in.. well.. that way. I do now. I know we are young and things can change. I don't expect your promise forever but will you try with me? I really do love you, it's become clear over the summer although its been there for years." Her head rolled towards him, regarding him with bright starlit eyes, a bit moist. "I have been trying with you for years you idiot, of course I will be your girlfriend, I already am. Potter you are so thick sometimes. Kiss me you fool." He did his apparition trick to her side. He began to sputter. "Mione? Can we start to snog with some other line than "Kiss me you fool?" I want to laugh and kiss you at the same time and I'm afraid to make a mess of you snorting and stuff." She cuffed him gently upside the brain, grabbed his head in both hands and proceeded to snog him senseless. "You really love me Potter?" The unsureness of the tender heart. "Absolutely mad about you Mione, head over heels, wall punching crazy about you. Yes I love you." She grinned in triumph.

The betting pool went to Albus Brian Percival Wulfric Dumbledore, who had wagered the first night at The Retreat. Across Great Britain and Ireland a large number of floos lit up and a large number of galleons came to rest in front of a very satisfied headmaster. Especially gratifying was Sybil's contribution. One could never tell when her intermittent talent would kick in. After quite some time the teens separated to their respective beds. Once bed check was complete Hermione scurried into Harry's room and dove under the covers giggling madly and feeling exceedingly wicked. They spooned up and slept the sleep of the just, watched over by their friend the Dream Police. It was an easy night for Dobby. His face ached from smiling. He was thinking of his friend Harry and of his mate Winky. He set waking wards on all the doors to give them warning come morning if he dropped off and curled himself up on the end of the huge bed.


	9. Chapter 8 A Day Aboard Shimmer

Harry woke with his nose in Hermione's hair. It was by far the best way to wake up he had ever found. She smelled warm and sleepy and feminine. You would think hair would all smell the same but hers was for sure very much girl hair. He eased his hips away from her, it was morning and he was young and healthy, there was a very tangible reminder that it was time to visit the loo. She grumbled a bit and wiggled back tight to him. Now this is torture, Riddle doesn't know anything about torture. Harry spent a minute imagining that conversation. _"OI! Tom, look, your pants at torture, you need to get Hermione in here for a proper job."_

He kissed her ear and whispered "Be right back." Carefully he worked himself free and rolled off of the bed to head to the loo. Dobby was curled up in a corner of the king size bed, sleeping peacefully. _"My family." _The thought made him very happy. It might not fit a lot of people but he was theirs and they were his. Having finished his business and gotten a quick brush of his teeth, he slid back under the covers and wormed his way back into full spooning position. There was a great feeling of accomplishment. The sun had sprinted over the horizon a bit ago and it was full tropical daylight.

He contemplated her neck, with wisps of hair curling loose from the bun she had put it up in. Perfect. He started to kiss her softly wondering how long that would be allowed. It was only a few minutes and he got a "Grmmm". She arched her back and stretched with tendons popping to say nothing of Harry's eyes. He knew she was awake when she covered her mouth to yawn.

"You snore less than any girl I've ever slept with. Just a few snorts was all, very nice, almost ladylike." Her eyes shot open and she reached back and swatted his bum. "I do not snore Mr. Potter. The most that could truthfully be said is that on occasion when extremely tired I may purr a tiny bit." His brows reached amazing heights. "Purr is it? Which gives rise to a perception of rhythm? Why my lady, I do hate to disabuse you of the thought but there was a certain atonal quality, an unexpectedness to the concert." Harry made what he thought was a very clever collection of grunts, minor howls, snorts and groans at no regular interval.

While good theater he was at a disadvantage when the tickling started. She had him pinned helpless with giggles when Dobby interceded. "Mistress Mione, I is sorry but you must go to your room now. Soon the house will wake." They both growled, had a quick kiss and she was hurrying away. He was fascinated. How could he have missed all that? The flex of calf and thigh, the lift and tension of her bum. The hair floating in her slipstream.

He looked at Dobby and just shook his head. Dobby grinned like his head would split. "You are a lucky Master." Harry nodded vigorous agreement. He flew out of bed and launched into a fast shower. A linen guyabara shirt, some cargo shorts and a pair of sandals. He hopped on the broom that was on the balcony and soared out over the cove. He pushed the broom to its limits streaking over the waves at a perfect six inches off of the surface as they rolled and broke on the reef. He stormed through the trees with the speeder scene from Star Wars, the forest moon of Endor, in his mind. He circled the island again and looked for any village or settlement along the path from the central peak. It seemed to end in a clearing. Rather than take a risk, he headed to the house and hoped he had enough wind through his brain to act like he hadn't slept with the Granger's daughter. He tried riding inside the curl of the breaking waves, surrounded by the roar and the translucent million shades of blue and green before punching up through the wave into the clear air with a whoop and a shower of salt spray.

Breakfast was being served on the patio overlooking the cove. Shimmer glistened in the morning sun, calling. There were croissants and fruit, tea, scones, eggs and bacon and truly great coffee. The light food, the fruit and pastries with coffee seemed perfect for the bright morning. Everyone seemed excited by the idea of a day spent at the island and on Shimmer. Sirius consulted with the elves and Shimmer was prepared to take them on a diving excursion. A large stock of gillyweed was laid in as well as supplies for a big lunch. When Harry mentioned that any elves that would like to come along were of course welcome the Shimmer became as full as she ever was. The only thing elves loved more than work was Shimmer. Soon Shimmer was rail deep with a beam wind and the whole complement of the Retreat, forty elves and six humans balanced on the weather rail as she whooped and slapped, strained and shook. She was screaming through the water. The elves were roaring to her and bouncing with excitement. "She is not having much fun for many years now, she is happy to be running again, you feel her yes?" Hermione nodded vigorously at the little elf. The captain was a gruff elf with a habit of a pipe and a hoarse salty voice. His eyes glowed as he gently stroked the teak rail. In an hour they hove to and dropped anchor. The captain explained that they were over a magical site, a lost city. The gillyweed would work for Mr. and Mrs Granger as well the rest of the party. The braver elves grabbed a handful of the weed and some spears. Elves were a lot smaller than humans, and looked like prey to some of the bigger fish.

Hermione was stunning in a dark green bikini. Harry was stunned in some fortunately baggy trunks. Sirius and Remus did their best to not laugh as did the senior Grangers. Harry was so completely smitten by their daughter a concussed troll would have known instantly that Harry was head over heels. Harry was, of course, of the opinion that he was managing magnificently. He did well when they could get his attention which was not often.

They popped the slimy weed into their mouths and dove over the side. An elf with a lot of underwater experience led them down the anchor rope into the blue. The bottom was vaguely visible at about 125 feet below, a collection of deep blues and greens with the occasional glimmer of a white sand or stone. They dropped into the ruins of Atlantis. A vast city was smashed across the ocean floor, magic could still be sensed here and there in the ruins. They swam past what seemed to be temples, and palaces, and line after line of what must have been handsome houses. Nothing seemed to live there, No coral, no fish, just stone, unmarred since it's breaking. Harry swam hand in hand with Hermione looking at the huge wreckage, wondering what had caused such destruction. The dive leader returned everyone to the anchor line. They drifted up the line watching Atlantis fade into the depths. It seemed to sink further and further below them, much deeper than when they had gotten there, it faded from sight as they broke the surface.

The dive master quickly preformed the counter-charm to the gillyweed and the party was helped back aboard the Shimmer. The crew pulled her hook and shook out her sails, gliding about and racing back to the island. They planned to spend the rest of the day on the reefs around the island, underwater sightseeing and fishing.

Shimmer arrived just off the reef surrounding most of the island and anchored again. Lunch was prepared and turned into a massive butterbeer blast for the elves. For an elf butterbeer had a real kick and the sound of giddy squealing laughter and loud splashes as first one then another was tossed overboard had the humans a bit giddy as well. They did some lazy snorkel diving just for the pleasure of it. Harry, who swam brilliantly under gillyweed got swimming lessons from a beautiful girl in a dark green bikini. Life was good aboard and around Shimmer.

As much as they wanted to stay at The Retreat forever, the Grangers had their work, and the others had obligations. They needed to get back to Headquarters and to teeth. The floo connection was set so that the Grangers could return when they had the chance. Harry left instructions for the elves to make sure to use Shimmer often, she was much happier under sail with a load of drunken elves laughing on her rails than sitting pretty in the cove. They all thanked the elves repeatedly for such a wonderful time and promised to return at every opportunity. This was the only magical experience Dan and Emma had other than picking up Hermione at Kings Cross. They loved the elves, and The Retreat was a dream house in a dream setting, Shimmer was icing on the cake. Harry reminded the elves that they would be called to help guard some of the families in danger.

It was a serious readjustment to enter Headquarters again after such a sparkling mini vacation. The Marauders, Grangers, and the young lovers agreed that any holidays would be spent at the Retreat. Sirius set the floo connection so that only the six of them could go to that particular destination.

"So Mione are you staying the night then?" Harry tried to keep the hope out of his voice. He was notably unsuccessful. She looked startled. "If you don't mind it seems that I am." Harry's face split in a huge smile. Sirius formally invited her for the evening and flooed her parents for permission. They were happy to grant it. Sirius had felt the sexual tension between the Grangers and suspected that the little island vacation had them wanting the house to themselves. Dobby looked unbearably smug.

Harry lay in bed caught in a struggle. He desperately wanted to sleep with Hermione. He knew he had no business doing so and that entering her bedroom uninvited would be deeply wrong. They were much to young for a sexual relationship. Even smitten as he was, Harry knew that. His body said differently. They had barely begun to be romantically involved and he wanted no mistakes. Harry was nearly sure that it was Hermione for him for life but he needed to have her come to the same conclusion for herself and they needed to grow into one another. They had a huge head start with four years of friendship, those years had provided a wonderful foundation. Now he just had to get a handle on the physical aspect.

Ignoring his clamoring nether regions he began to meditate, if it could be used to lock out Riddle, it could be used to control himself in other ways. Slowly he relaxed and became centered, letting his preoccupation with a certain brilliant and lovely young witch move from the center of his thoughts and let the thoughts spin through him, not holding them, not judging them. The pace slowed and finally he was still. He slipped into sleep.

He didn't hear his door click open or the rustle of the bed clothes. He didn't feel the shift of the bed as she slid under the covers and scooted closer to him. It was only when she actually touched him that he woke. "Oh thank God your here, I was really missing you." She was shaking at her boldness, frightened that he would reject her. At his voice she slumped with relief letting out a little moan. "Harry what are we going to do? I can't stand to be away from you." He curled an arm around her waist and drew her in. "I hate being not old enough." She nodded. "Well Mione I think we need to kill Riddle for good and get married. Or maybe get married and kill Riddle for good." "The ponce was eleven years last time, I'm not waiting eleven years for you Potter." "Fair point love. I don't think we can count on sleeping together every night. Can you research that Mione?" Her snort and the slap on his bum brought a big grin to his face. She got very quiet. "Your going to aren't you? Your amazing. I'll help." She nodded.

Eventually they drifted to sleep. Dobby being in the room was an effective chaperon. When things got to be a bit much he would cough. For a while he seemed well on his way to bronchitis.


	10. Chapter 9 Back to Work

Hermione kissed Harry awake and told him she loved him almost as much as the shower she was going to get. They agreed to meet in the kitchen with their best innocent faces firmly in place. She made it to her room undetected and had the shower she needed. She felt wonderful.

The kitchen was empty when she got there so she started the tea water. Toast was next and at that point her domestic skills ran out. She started on a small pile of mail she had received. The ICW had sent her a list of the variance of magical to muggle populations in the various countries of the world. It appeared that average was in the area of two percent of the total population being some form of magical. They did not include squibs. The United Kingdom was at the bottom with less than one percent, having been at the nominal two percent in 1900, the decline had started just after the end of the first world war, had rapidly increased during both Grindewald's and Voldemort's first wars, then leveled back out but continued to decline. The ICW mentioned no theory as to why that might be.

Professor Dumbledore had answered them and had suggested a meeting at their earliest opportunity. Bill Weasley said he would be dropping by once he had word they were back at Grimmauld, he was interested in some free lance curse breaking and warding.

Harry wandered into the kitchen looking disheveled and adorably smug. "Excellent on the poker face Potter. Shall we print up a sign then?" Dobby came into the room snickering and poked Harry in the side. "Right you two delinquents, would you mind tending to breakfast while I read you the latest?" Abashed, the males cracked eggs and grated potatoes. Bacon was fried. Lives were saved.

Harry and Hermione speculated on the ICW response. It seemed amazing that someone could put those figures on paper and not have questions or offer an explanation. Then again the Supreme Mugwump was the Headmaster. They made a floo call hoping not to wake him and found him just stirring. He was happy for a breakfast invitation.

Dobby sat Professor Dumbledore at the table and bustled around making his plate up. They chatted just a bit all waiting for the other to drop the shoe. Finally Harry asked him if he had spoken to Professor McGonagall about the birth lists and their research in the Hall of Records. Dumbledore nodded, "Yes I have Harry. It is unbelievable. I have asked some people I know if they have ever heard a rumor of who is behind this. I am getting a mysterious silence. Neither yes nor no, just silence. I have always moved with caution. I had no idea how much that caution cost. We are faced with a "Do or Die" situation. Of course a society that is killing it's young doesn't deserve to survive." He seemed every one of his years, old, defeated and tired, so very tired. "You can not imagine the depth of my guilt. I had hoped to leave a legacy where my name was admired. That can not now be the case." Hermione stared at their Headmaster.

"Sir how is this your mistake? How many others missed this? Even now the ICW draws no conclusion." "Miss Granger no one thought to ask the question. The assumption was that the loss of population was strictly related to the Great War, Grindewald, and finally to Voldemort's first war. That assumption became fact until some very bright young people thought to ask the question. I don't know if anyone has thanked you but your thinking and supportive research were damning in their eloquence. I think we were rather like a lobster being cooked."

Harry felt terrible for the Headmaster, he felt terrible for the dead children and the grieving parents. "We will be having two meetings with parents and children that are, or were at risk. Will you speak to them sir?" Dumbledore nodded. "Of course Mr. Potter. I will help in any way I can. I have not offered as I did not know if my help would be welcome." Harry jolted as if hit.

"Sir you told me once help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it. I ask you to make that same pledge to Magical Britannia." Hermione slipped her hand into Harry's. _There he goes again, pulling people forward by love. How does he do it? He doesn't even know he does. _She regarded the crushed man in front of her. _And there is the man that taught him by example. Harry had the capacity, but the Headmaster showed him how._

"Please don't give up sir, we need you more than ever." Harry nodded in agreement. Fawkes flashed into the room and landed on Dumbeldore's shoulder, crooning something that sounded like "I told you so." Slowly the man that had given so much lifted another burden. "You will let me know the day and time of the gatherings?" They nodded. Hermione spoke up. "Sir if you would review our plans, we would appreciate your perspective." Dumbledore's grin was wry but welcome, "I shall indeed be happy to review them. Minerva will be here shortly with the list of prospective students."

Professor McGonagall arrived with the list of students and their addresses. Hermione had called for Potter elves to help with preparing letters to the muggle or mixed blood parents of magical children younger than eleven, the group that was most in danger. Each letter contained an invitation to a meeting of parents and children like theirs, children around whom strange things seemed to happen. The meeting would discuss issues concerning the unique challenges of raising such children. For those attending free transport to a rally point with further services offered, a chance to meet others with similar children and to exchange with contact information. Harry thought a bit of muggle money, and a port key set for the Potter field would be the final components. Hermione wanted to include a gift for the children, something triggered by magic. A floo call to Fred and George got them a promise of origami birds that would sing and fly if touched by anyone with any magic. She had to talk them out of the exploding part at the end. Remus began creating the port keys to the field Harry selected. It was a total of several hundred letters. Remus quickly decided he would teach Hermione and Harry the portkey charm and they got busy helping him. Harry asked an elf if they could make portkeys and the task was done in the next five minutes. Harry sent Winky to Gringotts for some muggle money and they put a hundred pounds in each envelope, a port key, the letter and the magical origami bird. Remus headed to the local post office to give the Royal Mail some work.

The next letter was harder. This letter was addressed to those parents that had lost a child. It detailed their theory, a short table of facts and figures, and that they were trying to build a support network to keep children alive and to respond to attacks. They hoped to kill or capture the persons hunting the children and would welcome their participation in the response teams, or the emergency support teams. This letter set a meeting for the day following the first set of letters. The mailing was the same. The letter count of this mailing was in the low thousands.

Elves cleaned up the ink, parchment scraps, snack mess and gave Grimmauld a fast cleaning. With over fifty elves it glistened in minutes. Their collated and bound work, final lists and indexed catalog of names and addresses cross referenced by child and by parent were enough to make Hermione very proud indeed. A permanent building would have to be erected on what was now known as "Potters Field" to house the first responders and a greeting team. Construction would begin in the morning. Harry called Bill Weasley and had his promise to clear Godric's Hollow and begin warding the field after his day job the next day.

The friends began to plan the meeting. The discussion to go public in the broad magical world was spirited. On the one hand, they had a blockbuster. They could certainly move the Ministry off center with the facts they had. On the other hand the spin on the facts they could provide could be very dangerous. Fanatics could claim that the muggle born magical children were not safe in muggle homes and should be seized. The Ministry might decide to take magical children at birth and obliviate the parents. The kids were sure they could trust the Quibbler (Luna preened) but the Prophet had proven over and over to a tool of the powers that be and it's own sales figures. Again they were up against the idiocy of the Ministry. It was difficult to predict what the Ministry would do. The discussion came decided to avoiding the Ministry with Black/Potter funded efforts and the help of Hogwarts.

Mr. Weasley was a long time Ministry worker and a Department Head. He had a lot of influence in the Ministry and was well regarded as a good man, honest and hard working. He was in a dead end position because he was interested in muggles and because he refused to compromise his principles for political advantage. Ron made the fair point that the Ministry had some good people but was just so inner focused and corrupt it was impossible for significant change to happen from inside. None of them wanted Civil War. Dealing with the Dark Lord was bad enough, but a true magical civil war would accomplish exactly what they wanted to avoid, the death of a lot of innocent people. The worst that could happen would be to fight a civil war and have Voldemort regain a body at the same time. No one thanked Ron for his happy face analysis.

They were back to one of the questions from Neville's party. What were the rights and obligations of the Ministry to the citizens of Magical Britannia, to the muggle government, and to the ICW. Hermione was extremely frustrated once again at not having the answer, this was basic information about a government, History of Magic should have covered this in exhaustive depth. They wrote those questions in a letter to the Headmaster and flooed the memo to him.

Remus sensed exhaustion and suggested some meditation followed by some defense work. Harry was eager to try the Potter evasion charms he had read about in the family Grimmore. They settled in and began their centering as the books on Occulumency suggested. Harry fought to let go of dead babies and Hermione and just let his thoughts flow. He resolved to send the Professor an additional memo asking about Riddles connection with him, how it could be permanently closed and how the wanker was still alive. He thought about nights without Hermione with him and how much that prospect daunted him. He was so much better with her in every way than without her. He hated the years that had to go by before it would be even vaguely reasonable that they live together. He saw her as she had been today, brilliant, pensive, intense, and to him completely beautiful. He focused on her eyes, the warm honey brown with the gold flecks. With that settled he was able to find stillness.

Ron thought the whole meditation thing a load of waffle and hated it. When he managed to free himself of his locked thought patterns it dawned on him that he needed to do a lot of changing to be who he wanted to be. Things as simple as table manners, as complicated as his furious inferiority concerning material things, and his feeling that he was completely overshadowed by his family and his friends. He loved Hermione and Harry, but he was a distant third to them in anything but chess. Even in Ron's world chess wasn't all of life, there was also food and Quidditch. And the things he had to change. He hated meditating.

Ginny fought to let go of her obsession with Harry and to relax into stillness. It was getting easier to let go of Harry, it was so obvious that he was crazed about Hermione. How her thick brother had missed it was a question she didn't ask, It was self explanatory, he was thick. Instead of Harry she was more often finding her thoughts on Neville. Neville, calm steady smart Neville. She had seen him with his friends when he forgot to be nervous. He was strong, when he found that out she thought him so, found him attractive, he would be very surprised. She felt warm thinking about Neville. She resolved to put a bit more effort in that direction, it would be nice to be closer to him.

For Luna meditation wasn't a lot different than her normal state. She was brilliant, perhaps more brilliant than Hermione, but without the concrete solidity of Hermione's intellect. Her dominating thought was the death of her mother. Often she was caught in reliving those few minutes. Where the others had to let go of their tangles, she had to slow the flow to be able to catch something still, always the grief of her mothers death, the love of her father, and oddly enough Ronald. She wasn't the person to wonder why Ronald took her thoughts, but he did. He always had since she had first known the Weasleys, years ago before her mothers last experiment. They had been friends, she, Ron and Ginny. She remembered being happy. She was something approaching that again with these people. Someday she might come out of her protection but not yet, she didn't feel safe yet.

Hermione fought to stop the processor. Her mind churned at an amazing rate working several strands of logic at once. She found her current favorite memory, the Shimmer with a rail full of whooping pissed elves bounding over the ocean and Harry laughing full throated beside her, arm around her, his amazing eyes sparking with joy at the wind and the sail and her. She let the idea of not being with him every night slide into her head and mourned that reality. She hated the idea of sleeping alone now. She was a world champion fact facer though, and this was certainly a fact. No later than graduation summer - just two summers between now and then - that seemed doable. By a statue. Hell. She went back to his eyes and the sun and the sea and drifted there.

Neville settled in nervous. He always wondered if he was doing this right. It seemed silly but Harry and Remus seemed to think it was important. He locked on his membership in the coolest gang in Hogwarts. He didn't belong with them. He was sure someone was going to look around in surprise and ask him what he was doing there. Malfoy probably. And the others would know it was so and that would be the end. He started his struggle to realize that he had been invited. That since first year these guys had liked him, Harry, Ron and Hermione, the twins were always friendly, they liked to prank him but they watched his back too. They had run off Malfoy and his goons more than once. He remembered fighting both Crabbe and Goyle at the Quidditch game. He remembered his parents. He always remembered his parents. For them he trained. He was going to kill the LeStrange brothers and Bellatrix. Harry had Voldemort to kill, god help him, Neville had the ones that had tortured his parents. He let that thought take him to his place of will and gathered strength there. That evil his parents had suffered would not go unpunished by their son.

Remus tried to avoid practicing what he preached. He hated meditation, it showed him the wolf. By now he should be comfortable with the wolf. Instead he felt constantly torn inside, at war with himself. The best time of his life was Hogwarts and shortly after. Up until that Halloween when his world broke. Recently life had crept back into him, having Padfoot around and free, having work that he was good at, having Harry in his life and the amazing children he surrounded himself with. Even the elves were more than they were around Harry. Remus felt proud to be guiding this bunch on their journey, wherever it went from here. He sensed bad times coming, but that couldn't be avoided. Voldemort was still somewhere and there was the murder of the muggle born and half blood children. There would be a fight of some kind over the deaths of the children and another over Riddle, Magical Britannia would be changed by it. Perhaps the change would lead to some form of justice and rights for people like him and the other magicals. He centered on that hope, hope was rare for him. He let himself drift on the warm possibility of hope.

"Allright then, lets head to the basement and begin with some physical training and then some defense."

The training started with a physical workout, and then moved to physical sparring. Remus teamed three on one. Usually Death Eaters made sure to outnumber their opponents. Not one of the kids was able to stand against those odds. Remus had the tough task of keeping them both realistically humble and yet motivated. He put them through a tough work out and hoped it was enough to get them to sleep, the next day was a shopping trip to Diagon Alley for all manner of good things.

The next morning Remus took half of the kids and Sirius the other half to the Leaky Cauldron. The gang all had breakfast in the pub and began their shopping excursion. The first stop was Ollivanders wand shop. Everyone was getting spare wands and holsters. Harry did a lot of yelling to get the group to accept the equipment and took their IOU's only because they would have cursed him with the new wands had he not. All of the kids needed a spare, but Neville needed two wands, he was using his dads wand at his grams insistence and it was not a good match.

Mr. Ollivander was an odd man and very excited to be selling them the backup wands. He seemed to think it an excellent idea. Neville found two wands that he loved and the others all found good matches. They all got wand holsters that strapped to their forearms and were charmed to be invisible when worn and had an anti summoning charm on them as well. The holsters were brilliant, a twitch of the wrist and the wand shot out. It took some practice to catch the wand and for a bit the clatter of wands hitting the floor was constant in Ollivanders. Soon enough they were all competent at least with their dominant hand. "Thats Auror grade equipment you have there boys and girls, be sure to care for it. With some training you lot will be even better than Aurors, you will have to be won't you." Mr. Ollivanders little pronouncement was a bit of a shock to the group who shuffled their feet and hemmed and hawed. Remus and Sirius were quick to herd the group out of the shop.

Remus, Harry, Luna and Hermione were browsing in Flourish and Blott's while Sirius, Fred, George, and Ron were in Quality Quidditch supplies. Neville and Ginny were at Fortesques Ice Cream having a little taste and talking quietly about nothing in particular. Neville was telling Ginny about a new plant he expected soon as well as the progress on the Wolfsbane potion ingredients he had put in for Remus. They were happily discussing the odds of Hermione brewing the potion when a sneering drawl interrupted them.

"Fatbottom and the Weaselette. Lovely. I suppose your after his money slag? It can't be his looks or his brains. Of course your aiming quite a bit above your station little weasel. I hear his house has actual floors instead of the dirt you squat in." Neville watched Ginevra turn bright red. She loved her family and it hurt her to have them denigrated by an oaf.

Neville stood and turned to face Malfoy for who else would it be? "Malfoy you may apologize to Ms. Weasley or accept my challenge to a duel. I declare Ginevra and her family as friends of House Longbottom and will be proud to duel for her honor.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle roared with laughter. "Not quite as stupid as you look hum Fatbottom? You know we can't duel with wands or blades, so we are relegated to dueling muggle style. No matter, I accept your challenge to defend the little weasel slags nonexistant honor in combat. Goyle will be my second. Who will be your second?" The smirk Malfoy sported was epic. Fat little Longbottom actually fighting a Malfoy? This slaughter would be retold for the rest of Longbottoms miserable life. Neville eyed Malfoy like meat on a counter. "Ginevra's brother Ron will be my second if she so desires." Ginny nodded and raced into Quality Quidditch to get Ron.

It was seconds before the group in the Quidditch store were in the street. Ron was already redfaced and fuming. "I accept second in this matter of honor on behalf of my sister. I will stand with Mr. Longbottom." Ron's voice was quivering with rage. Goyle eyed Ron hungrily. Ron had a bit more reach than Goyle but was much lighter built compared to Goyle's round shouldered boulder shape. The group moved into the street. Malfoy didn't see the hunger in Neville's eyes, he was busy imagining his hands on Ginny in the middle of Diagon Alley once he finished with Neville. No Weasley would ever be able to forget this day, the day he dishonored the little slag while they could do nothing.

Neville turned to Sirius. "Lord Black a matter of honor has arisen between Malfoy and Goyle here on the one hand and Ms. Weasley and myself on the other. We will be engaging in a duel of physical combat with Ron as Ginevra's champion. Would you count to three please?" Sirius spat.

"Malfoy you say? That family is no good. All combatants surrender any and all weapons now. Should you fail to surrender any weapons your personal fortune will belong to your opponent no matter the outcome of the duel. The duel will be to surrender or unconsciousness. Do you all swear to surrender your weapons?" They chorused "I so swear." A small pile of wands dropped in front of the man. Sirius drew his wand and cast "accio weapons" on each combatant. A ring and two daggers flew from Malfoys robes. There was a golden flare of magic as Neville became much richer.

Harry whispered to Ron "Look mate you are hacked off, remember your training, you lose when your angry, be angry later, fight smart now. Make sure there will be no more little Goyles. You have to finish Malfoy if Nev can't." Ron nodded once sharply. His face paled and his eyes narrowed.

Sirius counted to three and the pairs circled one another. Goyle, stupid and flat footed, made a lunge for Ron. Ron skipped aside and gave him an assist with a powerful kick to the back of his knee. He groaned and stumbled, lumbered around with red eyes and a leer. "Shouldn't a done that, now I'm going to kill you." Ron backed up a step with big eyes and trembling lips, a tear forming. Goyle rushed him again. Ron grabbed the front of his robes and rolled onto his back planting his boot squarely between Goyle's legs and straightened his leg with a convulsive effort. Goyle flew ten feet before landing on his back with the breath knocked out of him. Ron was up and running at him instantly, before Goyle even hit the ground. Ron screamed his rage, all the slights of years dealing with Goyle, Malfoy and those like them tearing through him now. He powered a thunderous kick to the temple, circled and landed another tremendous powerhouse kick to the groin. Goyle had never been smart, now he would be spoon fed.

Neville his lips quivering as he circled Malfoy. Malfoy mistook rage for fear and tears of fury for tears of terror. It was almost his last mistake. "I hope you know that your pathetic attempts to evade defeat will not work squib. You would be no match for me with wands or blades so you elect fists and feet. You will find me better than you just as always. My training is the best." "Was the best Malfoy, you don't have the money for training anymore, I have it. I will have to enlarge my greenhouse with the new Malfoy wing." Draco's face flushed bright red. "I think I will buy the Gryffindor team all new brooms with your money Malfoy. I think a full page in the Prophet detailing just how much you lost through dishonor would be a good use of your former funds as well." Neville had done it, he had broken Malfoys control and destroyed any skill advantage. Draco roared animal rage and charged at Neville. Neville slipped aside, light for such a heavily built boy but left a leg in Malfoys path. Draco skidded on his face losing skin and teeth on the rough cobblestones. Neville was after him instantly with a smashing kick to the neck. Neville remembering Ginny's instructions kicked Draco onto his back and kicked again crushing his balls.

Neither Goyle nor Malfoy could speak to yield but both were still conscious so Ron and Neville amused themselves with breaking a few ribs before applying choke holds that put the pair of never to be fathers out.

Sirius stood speechless for a moment, stunned by the ferocity of the fight. He smiled broadly. "Longbottom and Weasley eh? I expect an invitation. From what I saw I think I should give you congratulations on clearing some of the scum from the pond."

An auror on duty arrived. The duel was all over so quickly there had been no chance for official interference. The rest of the day consisted of long and tiresome hours answering questions for the aurors and providing copies of memories for the penseives. Draco's medical condition was a closely held secret at St. Mungo's. Goyle would recover but would likely never sire children.

Within hours an incendescent Lucius Malfoy was screaming for an indictment before the Wizengamot. Madam Longbottom was more than happy for the chance to air her grievances with House Malfoy. She made it clear she would be hiring the very best solicitors with Neville's new wealth.

Lucius along with House Goyle declared blood fued against House Longbottom. Sirius aligned House Black with Longbottom, as did House Dumbledore, House Potter, House Weasley, House Bones and others. Two days later Sirius Black faced Lucius Malfoy in a duel to the death unless either party would yield. Sirius was thunder and lightning, trickery and speed. He played with Lucius for almost ten minutes before disarming him. Lucius refused to yield. Sirius blew a leg off of him. Lucius decided that perhaps yielding would be in his best interest after all. Sirius took all the Malfoy lands and money as recompense for ending the blood feud. With Professor Dumbledore Sirius set up a charitable organization to benefit mixed blood and muggle born witches and wizards as well as all magical creatures. He called the organization "The Malfoy Foundation for Tolerance". For centuries the expression "fall faster than a Malfoy" meant an rapid and terrible change in fortune.

The Malfoy's lacked money for the extensive reconstruction that would have been required to get Draco functioning as a man again. Sirius generously allowed enough for a conversion process and supplied a new identity. Draca Mofyal was enrolled in Beaubaton's that fall. She was a bit rough as far as language and manners but quite physically attractive. Her interest in the Dark Arts migrated into an interest in the fashion arts. She became a designer in Paris, quite wealthy and successful, living completely in the muggle world. She often designed Goth club interiors and was often heard to click her heels and chant "there is no place like home".


	11. Chapter 10 Meeting

The day was bright and clear, it would be hot later. High white wisps of clouds lazed across the face of the sun. Potter's Field was set with a large play ground area and lots of tables and chairs. There were food tents and changing tents. A huge pool with stacks of fluffy towels and tubs of sunscreen was close to the playground. There was a small library with a shaded area and lounges for reading. Hermione had insisted on books. The only permanent building was the new Responders Headquarters. There was a small stage. The warding of Potter's Field had been done by Bill Weasley with some of his coworkers, strengthened by Professor Dumbledore and Professor Flitwick. Security for the facility was top notch. The various Potter kitchens were ready to port food into the area. Professor Dumbledore was ready to speak, resplendent in a full muggle business suit, all they needed were the guests.

Harry and his team were a towering stack of frantic nerves. Harry answered every question with "I'm fine" and a shrug. It would have been believable if he hadn't had a facial tic and a slight hand tremor. Hermione was going over lists like a woman possessed. The only calm person seemed to be Dumbledore. He radiated his usual sense of peace and good will.

The guests began to port in. Harry and his friends moved to help people to their feet, welcome them and thank them for coming. Order members guided the guests to the beverage and food tables while explaining that, yes Virginia, magic is real. A lot of what they were seeing was real magic. Potter elves served up plates and guided the families to tables introducing themselves along the way. Almost immediately Dumbledore asked for volunteers from the guests to assist with the meet and greet. The Headmaster was looking for the natural leaders, hoping to get the group self governing immediately.

The uproar of questions by all and the paranoid suspicions of some took a long time to settle. Most of the suspicions had to do with time share sales. Harry and Hermione were kept quite busy trying to explain the concept to the magicals, and reassure the muggles that they were under no obligation. After about an hour the crowd stopped growing and Dumbledore passed out little squares of paper that adhered to clothes and displayed the name and home town of the person wearing it. He introduced himself as the Headmaster of a School of Magic. "I imagine many of your children have had unexpected things happen around them, odd things for which there didn't seem to be a logical explanation especially when your children are excited or afraid, in danger or stressed." There was a groundswell of assent from the crowd. Even the most suspicious of the crowd decided this wasn't a time share condominium sales pitch after all. Dumbledore did a bit of fancy transfiguration, creating the plush chintz chair he was fond of and sat down. "It has been the custom for centuries to await a child's 11th birthday before contact with the magical world begins for those children who are born to non magical parents. We are gathered here today to change that practice. All of the families here present have at least one child with the ability to use magic. This is a rare but natural ability, it is estimated that the population of Magical Britannia is in the neighborhood of 100,000 people." His smooth calming voice rolled over the crowd. People began without realizing it to trust him.

He talked for quite a while about Magical Britannia and the declining population, introduced the team that had done the research and finally outlined the conclusions they had drawn. The central fact was that the population of Magical Britannia was declining in both raw numbers and especially as a percentage of the total population while other countries magical populations stayed stable as to percentage. Dumbledore carefully took them through the research and analysis of the records that led to their conclusions. They concluded that non magical parents couldn't keep their magical children alive, and that some organization was trying to rid Magical Britannia of magical children with at least one muggle parent.

With the practice of years, the Headmaster had the crowd in his hand. He told them "while the magical government isn't aware of the problem, there is a group willing to help you." Dumbledore thundered out "YOUARE THAT GROUP". Everyone stirred restlessly. The Headmaster took a moment to have a sip of water and pop a lemon drop then started to tell them of the plans that had been made to make the present group able to defend itself and to prosper in the magical world, to support their children and keep them safe. He talked about the group of witches and wizards that would be assisting them but that much of their aid would be from elves and the people to either side of them.

Dobby took center stage with Dumbledore. He looked quite dashing in his uniform. He was introduced and spoke for a minute about what elves were and what they were capable of in the way of defense and offense as well as how they should be treated.

Harry stood and spoke on the subject of his friends and servants. "I am Harry Potter, and it has been my pleasure to help arrange this day for you. The elves that some of you might like as protectors for your children are servants of House Potter, as well as my friends and family. If you should be selected as a family an elf would like to help, and you accept that selection you need to realize that you are entering into a very serious relationship with House Potter and the elf themselves. I defend my friends and the members of my House totally. I can not tell you how serious I am about my family, my House and my friends. I would like to count you all as friends as we do all we can to keep your children safe, and healthy. Please enjoy the food and the facilities. Those who are willing to take part in this program will always be able to come to this spot for a swim, or a picnic or just to be with others like you. There will be staff for day care at all times. If there is sufficient interest games can be scheduled, or parties and dances held here in the future. You have the day to learn about our proposed solution and a week to decide if this is what you want. All those dressed in red and gold will be available for questions. Please be respectful of one another and have fun."

Harry stood down and wiped the cold sweat of nerves from his brow. Hermione closed her arms around him from behind and hugged him. "I know you hate that Harry, but that was a good clear speech, nicely done." She kissed his neck and ruffled his hair.

The Headmaster asked those who had some form of military training if they would be willing to form a rapid response team, in partnership with some magicals trained in combat. He asked those with medical training to form another rapid response team working with Healers. Those interested in exploring that area met with some of the Order and toured the Rapid Response building. A preliminary watch list was drawn up. The Rapid Response building was basically a communications center, on duty Responders would be ported to a location close to the alert, and the team leader would take over the tactical situation, calling for support if required. There were many with military and police experience, some active duty or reserves, as well as two people who served Her Majesty's government in positions covered by the Official Secrets Act. Albus letched onto the spies.

Harry and friends moved through the crowd distributing a pamphlet that listed the ideas for protection they had come up with as well as a short outline of why they considered the protection necessary. The group then broke for lunch which was buffet style and delicious. Parents slowly relaxed watching the practiced ease with which the elves dealt with children. They watched fights stopped, scrapes mended, games played and nappies expertly changed. The stirrings of deep envy began with the use of magical cleaning charms on babies needing a change. Discussion groups formed around people wearing the red and gold uniforms.

The day was brilliant and hot, just perfect weather for kids and a pool. Parents gaped awestruck as "the no running around the pool rule" was enforced by a few finger pops of the lifeguard elves putting the kids in slow motion. Harry would never see the whistles again, they became badges of honor in the homes of elves who were there.

Harry had watched Professor Dumbledore with growing admiration, his ability to command a crowd, his unquestioned presence, his aura of kindness, had done all the work the elves hadn't done for them so far. He could teach Harry a lot more than magic.

Hermione was ramped up to full power mode, creating more pamphlets on the fly, watching the lists of names form into groups by region and by time spent associating. The possible responders were tracked on a separate parchment. Another of her clever charms linked to the name tags.

Dumbledore stood again and started to speak. He thanked them for being willing to believe what they were told was true. He outlined quickly the next steps they organizers were taking. The creation of the first response teams. The setting of watches. The assigning of elves to as many houses as possible. The emergency portkeys. The continuing effort to locate those responsible and to bring them to justice. The formation of training cadres for defense and medical care. The warding of houses to slow or stop magical attack. An ongoing series of lectures about the magical world, how it worked, how they could work to improve it. He emphasized that this was their group, that they were their resource as neither muggle nor magical government was, at present, doing anything about the situation. He asked them to help themselves and to let the magicals help them as best they could.

The Headmaster fielded the toughest question of the day. Could they just emigrate and avoid the whole problem? Dumbledore had to explain that Voldemort was back, that there was a significant chance that he would be able to take over both magical and muggle worlds. People were shocked at his comparison of Voldemort to Hitler in power, danger and insanity. He assured them that moving out of Magical Britannia was not a permanent solution, but might ensure that there was no solution, whereas the group gathered in that field could be a significant force in the reform of the magical world and the defeat of the Dark Lord just by protecting themselves.

Finally there was a demonstration of the port keys, how to use them, and what they did. People took a tour of the building that housed the ready rooms for the response teams and admired the map that would show the region of any attack. Given an attack a response team would port to the closest key and fight to evacuate the family along with a medical team. All keys in the area would go to alert stage, so that families could gather and be ready to defend and escape.

Dumbledore asked if there had been any attacks on anyone present. A tide of horror washed in on the tails of that question. Parents spoke of losing children, some of losing more than one child to violent accidents that didn't really make sense. Parents spoke of terribly hurt children who said someone had cut them or electrocuted them and of the children who had seen their brothers and sisters killed. Some had children who still breathed but didn't respond, and were now wards of the state and in facilities.

The Professor showed pictures of know Death Eaters. The screams of rage and grief when Lucius Malfoy's image was projected were terrible to hear. Many of the other Death Eaters were just as popular. A few remembered the Lestrange brothers and Bellatrix although they had been out of circulation for a long time. Dumbledore asked if he could perform magic on anyone who had a clear mental picture of an attacker that hadn't been shown. Several people came forward and using his pensieve Dumbledore was able to show the crowd some new pictures. Harry didn't recognize the new faces but some of the Order members did. Hermione compiled a hit list with pictures, biography, and favored area of operation.

A photo album would be put together to be mailed to each family who was urged to study it and if they spotted one of the faces, port to "Potters Field" and send in the response teams. One of the military trained people, bucking for Sargent no doubt, asked to review the attack and retrieval protocols.

Dumbledore had to explain that unless the person injured was magical they would not be treated at St. Mungos. In the case of non magical injury he suggested Potter's Field for triage to a medical facility hopefully the hospital wing at Hogwarts, possibly a muggle facility.

Potter's Field would be open at all hours for all reasons to people who signed an oath to keep the location secret. If anyone wasn't willing to sign the oath, their port key would be changed to a point near their local police station. Contact information was collected, collated, duplicated and distributed to the attendee's who signed the oath of secrecy. Another meal was provided and adult beverages were served. The kids had been playing under house elf supervision allowing the elves to pick a family they might like and giving the kids a taste of being spoiled by an elf, which is to say, well and truly spoiled. The parents more than anything else were impressed by the elves obvious affection for children.

Dobby had quite a time getting used to being called Mr. Dobby by so many humans and Harry laughed until Dobby cast a silencer on him hissing about bad masters. Winky had tears running down her face, shaking silently, Dobby knew better than to try to boss her though. She had spoken at length with Hermione about women's rights, with which she fully agreed.

As the sun started to set, a dance floor was created and music began to play and the parents took time to dance under the stars and to watch a WWW fireworks display.

Harry stood to one side announcing names as elves came to him asking to be able to guard particular families. He would invite the parents, explain that the elves were bound to his house and that the elf had chosen that family to protect. He told them that the elf would remain bound to House Potter unless the family and the elf were sure they wanted to make the relationship permanent.

He warned the humans again that the elves of his House were his family and his friends and that he was fiercely protective of both. He asked that any trouble be brought to him sooner rather than later so that the elf could try to help some other family. Hermione came up with an additional document detailing the obligations and responsibilities between both parties that they had to sign. Big were mutual defense, and silence as to House Potter business. The families invited were sure that there would be a hook in the worm somewhere and were relieved that there was no monetary obligation in either direction although Harry did say no one would ever go hungry if he had bread. A few wanted to think it over but most agreed on the spot looking at their children asleep wrapped in the arms of an elf.

It was late and the party was over. Families started to leave, many with their new elven protectors coming along. It had been a long day. The first watch of the response teams settled in for the evening at Potters Field.

Hermione was buzzing like she did after an exam. She was totting up numbers and checking off lists like a crazed woman. Harry watched her with Ron and Ginny on either side, one of them occasionally giggling. She didn't notice, but hummed around on Hermione overdrive. She was getting ready to do a statistical analysis of the event when they flagged her down, put a butterbeer in her hand and made her sit down. She hit the lounger with an "Ohhf." "Surprised your tired Mione?" Her eyes were glazing as she powered down. "Yes, wasn't it wonderful and terrible?" They nodded. "The kids had a great time and I loved all them calling for Mr. Dobby." Harry started to laugh again. There was a hissing in the background. "Dobby come on and have a sit, you must be knackered mate." Dobby and Winky holding hands joined them. Harry hugged them both and thanked them for the huge effort they had put into the day. Dobby accepted a butterbeer, but Winky refused, choosing pumpkin juice instead.

"So how did we do and what did we miss?" The Order members and the Professors came into the circle, they had a beverage of choice and began the postmortem. That discussion led to the formalization of the Day care and preschool programs along with a social calendar so that the parents could bond as well as the children. They decided to not only leave the facilities for the day in place, the pool and the playground, but also to expand the play options with a Quidditch pitch and football field. Hermione was excited to expand the library. Pretty quickly they found themselves backing into a full blown primary school, taking the children to age eleven.

The reasoning was sound, the kids were present why not give them a leg up so when they got to Hogwarts they would be ready or more than ready? Hermione and McGonagall had half the curriculum designed before the third butterbeer. Ron was muttering about them being mental.

They were just talking about the percentage response to the mailings when their portkey charms went off. There was an attack. They pulled their wands and grabbed their portkeys, set to take them to the position the where the alarm sounded.

There were two of attackers casting Crucio on a little girl and her mother. The door of the house was blown off the hinges and the father lay cut open and bleeding out with his portkey in his hand. Harry's reducto took off the head of one attacker and Dumbledore stunned the other. The professor warded the door as the medical team ported in and were directed to the father. A healer dumped blood replenishers into him and sealed up is wound. Others were giving the little girl and the mother potions for the aftereffects of the Crucio, the muscle spasms and phantom pain, the twitching. The evacuation started immediately.

Harry turned in place, eyes desperate to avoid the headless corpse he had created. He ran a few steps and violently threw up. Hermione was with him, holding him, murmuring to him. "Damn your fast, I was just letting a blasting hex off at him, I would have killed him if you hadn't. We have one to question, lets go check the outside and see if they had a watch set or any backup." He coughed and nodded, grim eyed, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

Ron formed on them. They disillusioned themselves and faded into the back yard creeping through the shadows trying to sense anyone. They moved silently as their darkness drills in defense had taught them, using the shadows. Ron caught just a ripple to the forward right and sent a blasting hex at it. He scored a midlevel hit on a disillusioned wizard who went down hard. Hermione shot a blaster at a gasping noise to her immediate right, hit, and saw a figure minus an arm start to turn on the spot. Harry grabbed for the figure as Mione grabbed Harry. They apparated.

The squeezing sensation seemed to last forever. Finally the three came out, a brightly lit room with five other people in it. Harry was firing and moving. Hermione rolled and cast incindio towards one of the figures. She saw the rushing green of an AK go just past her Harry. Fury bloomed in her and her magical filled the room. She popped upright, her hair alive in a wild halo around her, a scream and magic pouring out of her as she cast reductos in a stream at the three just standing. Her fire swept over them like a machine gun and shredded them. Her wand was scorching hot. Harry flew at her and they landed in a heap as a cutting hex fanned over them. Hermione seemed to have all the time in the world as she took careful aim and blew the remaining wizards legs apart from the knees down. His fall saved his life. Harry's reducto blew a hole the size of a pool table in the stone wall behind the man. She stunned the guy with no lower legs and cauterized the stumps. They tapped their portkeys and Dumbledore was there. He casually stunned the one armed witch who had ported them to the location as she wormed towards her wand. Dumbledore sent a phoenix patronus asking for the medical team as soon as they finished with the injuries from the initial fight.

"POTTER DON'T YOU EVER LEAVE ME BEHIND IN A FIGHT! I AM NOT TELLING YOU AGAIN. IF YOU WANT ME, YOU HAVE ME, BUT IT IS A FULL TIME DEAL" She slapped him. She started to cry and then threw up. She ran from the room. Harry looked like he wanted to laugh, or scream, or kick something.

Dumbledore managed to have an appropriate expression on his face. It was unreadable. He clapped Harry on the back and said "Go to her NOW." Hermione was in a corner of the next room huddled in a ball with her face on her knees. Harry scooped her up, spotted a floo and grabbed a bit of powder. "Potters Retreat."

He carried her inside and up the stairs to the master bath. He ran the tub as she cried huddled into herself. He put her on his lap and kissed her cheek. "Brush your teeth Harry." He nodded seriously. "You too honey" She nodded. They stood side by side brushing, elbows bumping. Eyes met in the mirror full of horror and humor. His face had a hand print on the cheek. It was his only injury. Hermione seemed to have collected a few cuts from somewhere. Harry rinsed and murmured "Epipsky" as he traced his wand over her cuts. "Anything else hurt love?" She was numb now. Numb and drowning. Harry turned to the huge tub and started the water roaring in with some scented bubble bath. He undressed her to her bra and panties and himself to his boxers and put her in the tub with him.

He began to wash her and talk to her. She shivered and tried to listen. "Mione when I fight, I don't think. That one armed woman was going to get away. I couldn't let her get away, not after what they had done. I would have died in that room if you hadn't been there. I've never seen spells cast that fast. Will you help me learn to reach for you? I didn't intend to leave you, I intended to follow her. I was fighting like I was alone. I'm not alone, by some miracle I have you and Ron, but you. We need to train so hard about this. It has to be inside my bones that we go together. It's not ingrained in me now. Also I want to protect you, keep you safe." His voice trembled "I love you and losing you would kill me. You wanting to come with me is about you loving me and wanting me safe, and about not having to wait helpless when you know you could be helping. What I should have done was cast a trace and gone in with the big guns. We might have missed them but we would have been good to try again."

He sank into silence and started to lather her hair. The tub was big enough that there were seats in it, they sank into one, she in his lap, a spray nozzle rinsing the suds out of her mane. He washed her carefully, avoiding the private bits primly, his face very serious.

"Damn you Potter! How dare you make it about homework!" They began to laugh and it was a long time before they stopped, there were tears and shock in there as well. They had killed people, not without regret but without guilt. Hermione added some more bubbles to the bath and slipped out of her underthings. She finished washing and told Harry very firmly "Close your eyes." She climbed out of the tub and turned to slip one of the wonderful thick robes on. Harry's eyes were huge and on fire. She finished cinching the robe and started to wrap her hair in a towel. She glared at him. He began to look nervous and lust drenched, a very confusing task for his face, a nervous grin. Delinquent.

She gathered the towels and robes to her, sealed the door, picked up his wand and called "Accio Harry's boxers". He was dumped under the surface as his boxers shot through the air and smacked into the mirror behind her. She stood waiting. He sputtered coming to the surface as far as his chin. "Now about the close the eyes? What part of that didn't you understand?" He nodded, considering. "The now part?" She WOULD not smile. She nodded gravely. "Accio bathtub drain plug." Harry faced ignominious defeat. She dangled a robe from the end of her finger. He girded his loins for battle so to speak and rose from the water, the young Adonis. _"Who knew? Hes so slight, now that is a Big surprise."_ He tried to walk to her with manly confidence but ended up in a hurried scuttle. He turned his back to get into the robe. She coughed. He growled. They howled.

They held hands, wordless, they went to the deck, and Harry asked for hot cocoa for two. They had a quiet pleasant chat with an elf who had been on the island all day. The rest of the staff had been to the event. Soon they were alone with the sea and the stars and themselves, the young warriors, blooded and sad, glad to be alive. Harry asked for an elf and sent them with a message to Potter's Field and the Headmasters office that they were fine and would be back in the morning.

Hermione took his hand and led him to bed, they spooned up and fought for sleep for hours, occasionally sighing or kissing a bit. Finally they drifted off. Dobby canceled his disillusionment charm and curled on the end of the bed. Shortly Winky joined them.


	12. Chapter 11 And So It Begins

Hermione woke, her head pillowed on Harry's chest. She knew from the smell of the ocean and the fierce light that they were at the Retreat. Their long long day yesterday came back to her with a groan. She flinched at the memories of combat the day before and jolted upright. Dobby and Winky were sitting up looking at her. "Morning you two." she used the softest of whispers. They nodded, serious eyes studied her. They slid from the bed and started out the door. "Breakfast coming up Mistress, you can stay, we will bring it."

She slid from the bed and lumbered to the bathroom. By the time she had brushed and showered she was a going concern. There were four place settings on the balcony, and breakfast waited. Dobby and Winky were eating a little and looking out at the morning. "Harry, wake up love." She ran a hand through his hair and kissed his cheek, his eyes. "Whattimeisit" "It's early morning at the Retreat, breakfast on the balcony, wake up love." He sat up and bumped his head to hers. "Mkay."

She had her tea and a little fruit. Harry joined them in a few minutes, a speed shower and the fluffy robe. He had his tea and picked at the fruit and pastry. "We have to stop coming here. I hate leaving, such a perfect escape." Hermione and the elves all nodded. They all sighed and looked at one another. "Back to it then?" Nods all around. Shimmer glistened in the morning sun as they dressed and ported away.

They ported back to Potters Field for the next days meeting. It was well underway. This meeting was for the people who had lost their magical child. The anger and grief was overwhelming. The response to the letters sent for this meeting was even higher than the day before. Over and over they were asked why hadn't this been done before? What could they do now? The loss the families had suffered was in many cases leverage and ambition to make sure no other parent lost a child to whoever was doing this. Dumbledore spoke of the response last night to the call they had gotten. How the response teams had destroyed the attackers, saved the family and raided an attacker rally point, killing several and capturing two. Three captured, one escaped, the rest dead. Did they want in on this? There was an overwhelming roar of assent. Pictures of the attackers were shown and several more attacks were documented.

Professor McGonagall spoke about the new primary school they were going to be building and asked if anyone had teaching ability, that there would be paying positions available, in both muggle and magical subjects. There were paid positions in military training, and field medicine. Those who stood watch would be paid a stipend. Many of the audience objected, they just wanted a chance at the people who had killed their children. The pictures of the known killers were shown and several added from the memories of the audience. Oddly enough the MI guys were back and joined by a few more like them. They stood to the side watching carefully. The crowd enjoyed themselves with the facilities and the elves and children played. Dumbledore and the other Professors met the parents of students that had died during their years at Hogwarts. They seemed to be safe while at school but especially in the first few years vulnerable to attack over the summer and the holidays. Some young men and women, having graduated had stories of near misses. It was a somber but determined group that day. They were less interested in the pool and more interested in the Rapid Response building.

At the end of the day there was a meeting with the organizers and the MI group. They wanted Dumbledore to meet with their boss and convince him that he wasn't creating a vigilante organization or a terrorist network. Dumbledore was delighted to do so. He suggested that the Prime Minister might like to be there as the PM was aware of the magical world. Dumbledore suggested the planners of the event also be present. "The kids? No sir, I don't think that will be necessary." "As you like 007" Harry spoke up "Sir will you please find out the relationship between the Ministry of Magic and Her Majesties government? Is the Ministry subject to the Prime Minister, the Queen, both, or neither? It seems as if the Ministry acts as unauthorized government, in effect a terrorist organization, collecting taxes on it's own, passing it's own laws, and being a sanctuary to a large number of people preying on the rest of the nation and responsible to no one other than itself."

Hermione just loved it when Harry threw those conversational grenades. It would be a spirited discussion the next day with some hard questions being asked. She asked Dobby and Winky to pop them to the Retreat and the four were off again.

Kingsley Shacklebolt was a very tired man. He had been questioning the survivors from the attack and the second fight at the apparition point for two days. It seemed that all the combat training the kids were getting had paid off. These weren't Death Eaters, but they were fully qualified wizards. Last night they had either been blown to bits or were in cells. The child killing team had been using their standard five person team, using their standard tactics of two in the assault and three in back up. The back up had been bored, nothing had ever happened in the years they had done this. Their biggest job was to make sure the scene could be made to look like a muggle crime scene and to erase the memories of any witnesses. One had died instantly when Ron had removed his chest. One had an arm blown off and had taken Harry and Hermione to the next fight. The last outside member was able to get away. That one had disappeared, he hadn't gone to the same place as the one armed woman. Out of ten, there were three alive two with permanent injuries.

He sighed and looked at the coffee he had started to drink when he became an Auror. The stuff ate up his stomach but it was a job requirement. The family had been pretty easy to question. The story had been simple.

They had just gotten home from the meeting at Potter's Field when the front door was blown in and two figures in dark cloaks entered. Mr. Simpson stood up and got in front of his family shouting for them to leave. One of them cast a cutting hex that opened him from throat to hip bone. He fell grabbing for the medallion he had just gotten that day and keyed it as he hit the floor. The invaders started to torture his wife and little girl. They looked like they were being electrocuted. Nothing was said by the invaders that he recalled. He was blacking out from blood loss when the combat team arrived and blew the bastards away.

The wife and daughter were still under treatment for the Crucio curse they had suffered. The curse had been less than a minute but muggles were more affected than magicals. The mother, Marge, had been able to answer a few questions. She had never seen the attackers that she was aware of. The door was blasted open, she and her daughter had stood in their living room, her husband moved in front of them yelling. He fell and there was a lot of blood. She started to him when the curse hit her. She woke up in St. Mungos between her daughter and her husband. The daughter had the same story, Vicky was seven. They would all make it.

Hell of a way to learn about Magical Britannia Kingsley thought. At least they had the protection of those portkey beacons.

The one armed woman (Kingsley guessed Bandit for a prison name) and the man they would have called Stumpy if he made it to Azkaban had been interesting if not informative to talk to. He had no pity for them. When they had first been questioned, they had refused to say anything. Kingsley had gotten permission from Madam Bones to use Veritiserum and Legimancy on them. The standard forensic dose was three drops. As soon as they began questioning Stumpy he died. Kingsley was reluctant to try the Bandit since he didn't understand how to avoid killing them with questions. He wanted this crime before the Wizengamout. Watching those hearing the case would give him a chance to guess who of the purebloods was behind this. _Just once it would be nice if it was all laid out simple in front of me. Table of Organization, member list, headquarters location, account numbers all notarized please. In triplicate._ He sighed and headed to the Atrium, the floo and home.

Word about the attack had spread like mad among the families that had attended the Potter's Field days. The opinions of the parents about that little black haired Harry kid and his friends had risen considerably when the gossip from the medical and combat teams had a chance to begin viral replication. Potter's Field saw a lot of use the next few days, it was a beautiful facility and free with excellent day care. The Rapid Responders sat through watch after watch with a quiet board. Hermione had a newsletter made up and mailed out to the attendee's that covered the facts of the attack and that the watch lists could use more people. She included the schedules for self defense and social gatherings. She asked for a team to take over the publication of the newsletter. Construction began on the primary school with an opening hopefully in the spring term.

Summer was almost over, the last of August. Ron had refused to study anything but defense and dueling at first. He wanted to fight not learn medicine or potions. Harry gave him the books on counter-terrorism tactics and asked him to read them and start asking Moody any questions he had about them. Ron flooded the twins with requests for equipment. Infrared sensors, some method of seeing through Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, something to see wards, silent communications, tracking information on Unforgivables. The twins complained to the Headmaster about the amount of work they were being asked to do by their little brother. Albus thumped on the people he knew in the Department of Mysteries for any answers they might have to meet the same needs and suggested the twins hire some help and go full time into development. Albus also asked Ron and the military folks from Potter's Army to design an in depth defense for Potter's Field. Ron and the Mad Muggles, those committed to Potter Field, began to plan a combined arms defense utilizing muggle and magical methods. The Field looked likely to become a target of importance like St. Mungos or Hogwarts itself.

Her Majesties spies in the "Mad Mugles", the Official Secrets guys, asked for copies of the defense plans to have "a few friends look over". They returned with an enormous pile of material, and some radically altered plans. Moody scowled even more, handed the MI guys maps of Diagon Alley, Hogsmead, Hogwarts and St. Mungos asking that they pass them by their friends for suggestion. When asked why not the Ministry of Magic also Moody chuckled. "Don't want to make it harder than it has to be if we need to take it down."

Harry was planning to ask Hermione and her family to the Retreat with him and the Marauders for the week before returning to Hogwarts. He wanted the Weasleys but there just wasn't room. He happened to mention to Dobby his space problem at the Retreat. "Dobby will see what can be done Master Harry." His Sargent flooed away. In an hour he was back with the problem solved, they would be using a house down the beach for the Weasleys, the owners, a nice couple from San Francisco, had readily agreed to trade a week at Potter House. They had no trouble with Harry's dates, Harry asked for a weeks notice to clear family stuff away at Potter House and the deal was made. The invitations went out and the party was on.

To say that the week before school was a success would have been a total understatement. Shimmer thundered in brisk winds, her crew working her, a load of drunken elves from all the Potter estates, masses of food and gillyweed, Weasleys, Grangers, and especially Marauders roaring and whooping as the boat swooped over the rollers to dive spots. Harry sat with Hermione, cold sober, he wanted this in sharp detail, he knew how precious time like this was. Molly was constantly in the kitchens learning West Indian cooking, she knew she would be getting a lot of requests for it. The beach bonfires at the cove with Shimmer rocking in the moonlight were wonderful. Night diving in the cove was fascinating and the lit wands moving along the reef face made the scene even more beautiful. Hermione and Harry had their cocoa on the balcony last thing before going to bed. Often the bonfire was still burning, tales being exchanged, beverage being consumed. They had asked Winky and Dobby to keep watch in case they needed to scurry to their separate bedrooms. The elves assured them that they would not be disturbed. Part of a house elf magic involved privacy. If there was a bed check all would be well.

Hermione and Harry found themselves ever deeper in love. Hermione would sixteen in the next month causing Harry to raid the Potter vault for a present. He had found some stunning jewelry, most of which she would never wear, much to ostentatious. He did find a promise ring that he liked, a gorgeous green emerald, not huge, but nice, a simple gold band. It had been a gift from his father to his mother before they became engaged. It symbolized an intention to become engaged, a visible sign that they were indeed serious.

They lay in entangled on the last night. In the morning they would floo to Grimmauld Place and head off to school. They murmured the things young lovers do, and kissed with passion and tenderness. Hermione wanted to wait until they were married for the final intimacy. Harry was never going to pressure her to do anything she wasn't ready for. They did enjoy the privacy to explore one another, completely thrilled and enthralled with one another. Harry had never imagined anything as beautiful as Hermione, her hair wild, naked in starlight and the last of the bonfire light, eyes locked with his as they brought each other to completion. She never seemed to believe him, he wished he could show her through his eyes her wild perfection. "Accio pensieve" He drew the memory out of his head and pulled her into it with him. He held her as they watched themselves, whispering to her "look, look how beautiful you are, your hair. There - there see that light on your breast? What could be sexier, more beautiful?" He sputtered to silence. They watched as she arched her back, breasts straining into the night air. He could hardly breathe.

They tumbled out of the pensieve and back into bed. Dobby reinforced the silencing charms and leered at Winky. She punched his arm muttering "boys".

At the dawn they were walking along the cove one last time until the holidays. Hermione's hand was in Harry's and the sky was awash in pinks and reds, fading to blinding whites as the tropical sun vaulted into the sky. They turned to the veranda where elves had just finished putting out a nice light breakfast of juice, fruit and pastries. Harry was picking up a bad coffee habit in the islands, some of the best was grown locally.

Just as they sat Harry's scar burst into flaming pain. Voldemort was back. Harry slammed his shields up and started to curse, rubbing his scar. He had seen a flash of an old disheveled room, the same room he had dreamed about before the World Cup.

"He's back, Riddle Manor. We need to hit him hard and fast." Hermione started to the floo. "Where to Harry?" "Grimmauld. DOBBY, WINKY get to Grimmauld. Potter elves, get the Weasleys moving to Grimmauld, get the Marauders headed to the same place, no one wait for anything, pop them if you have to, the Grangers should stay, it's safer here. Harry dove into the fire after Hermione.


	13. Chapter 12 What Crouch Did

Pettigrew flopped to the ground before him. Crouch gaped in shock and was a second slow getting to his wand. That ass Shacklebolt had a shield over the rat. Barty started easing back in the crowd, looking for a shot on Pettigrew. Dumbledore was looking at him, was seeing him. Barty slithered behind some parents and slunk towards the edge of the wards. He was just outside the gates when he felt his Master live and then die again. Crouch staggered into some bushes and was violently ill. He searched his left forearm for the mark, it was almost invisible. Months he had waited for that trap to be sprung and it hadn't worked. It had to be the rat. Pettigrew would die for this. Crouch apparated to the Riddle Manor, outside the wards, a good distance from the graveyard. He watched as the Aurors cleaned up the mess. Nagini was dead as well. Was Pettigrew a traitor or merely incompetent? Potter and Diggory were gone.

He considered moving on them, he was a strong wizard and could likely kill a few of them, maybe several. He could see Shacklebolt and Tonks. He had respect for their abilities. The options were all uninviting. Malfoy? No Malfoy wanted to assume the Dark Lord's mantle. Killing Malfoy would take him away from his main task, the return of his Master. The Death Eaters in Azkaban were beyond him for now. Of the Death Eaters who went free, who would be the most use and least trouble? Barty considered his mark again. His Master was far away in some mysterious form of not death.

He needed the Department of Mysteries. He needed an Unspeakable. Barty began his hunt.

For weeks he searched for Rookwood, who had served time in Azkaban after Karkaroff had sold him to the Ministry. He had been released after some years but where was he now? Crouch wasn't sure. He needed resources, he was hunted. It would have to be Malfoy for now, but he would work through Rookwood. Barty made his way through the last of the summer towards Malfoy Manor, stealing what he needed, killing for a place to sleep.

A house elf in livery opened the huge ornate doors. "Malfoy residence, your name sir?" "Tell Lucius that Crouch is here." The elf bowed a bit and closed the door. A short time later the door opened again, the elf asked him to enter. As he stepped over the threshold he was stunned.

He woke up naked and tied to a table in a cell. So far all was as expected. Now if only Lucius could keep some of his stranger appetites under control. Barty began to sweat a little. The drawling sneer of Lucius. Merlin, the man's affectations had affectations. "I find myself surprised to be visited by the living dead. Would you care to explain?"

Crouch began to talk, it was a long time before he stopped. He told of Wormtail's capture immediately. If Malfoy had damage control to do he wasn't in a hurry to do it, interesting. He started over at the beginning. The escape of Sirius Black. Black's eventually successful attempts to find Pettigrew. Pettigrew's escape from Black and Lupin. The rat eventually finding their Dark Lord in Albania. The twisted thing that Pettigrew had constructed of dark magic, venom and the Dark Lord's soul. The rat was to attempt a ritual that would have given the Dark Lord a body more powerful than his human one. How he, Crouch, had sent the Potter boy to the Dark Lord and the rat. How the site of the rebirth was swarming with Aurors and the old fools Order. Potter most likely lived, perhaps unharmed. Nagini was dead.

Lucius left the room. There was silence for a long time, days. Crouch lay in his own waste, hungry, shivering, wondering if he would simply be starved to death in this room. He waited, plotting what minimum assistance he needed to go forward.

Eventually Lucius returned, a lace handkerchief over his nose. "My word Crouch, what a mess you have yourself in hmm?" Barty lay still, staring at the ceiling, parched, exhausted. "I have confirmed those of your statements that I could. You seem to be telling the truth, at least some of it. How unusual. That almost never happens here." he gestured grandly to his dungeon. Crouch had run out of imagination on how best to kill this man. "I am at a loss concerning what to do with you. Simplicity would seem to dictate leaving you here forever. Can you convince me that there is some utility to you?"

Crouch tried to talk, but couldn't, his throat was so dry he couldn't speak. Lucius caused his wand to spray water over Crouches face. Barty managed a few sips. He turned his head and began to speak. "I seek only the return of our Lord. I require a small amount of resources in order to do this thing. I need access to an excellent library to research the required rituals that return a soul to a body. I need to question Rookwood. If I succeed, you have helped the Dark Lord return. If I fail you still have what you have." "Why Rookwood?" "He was an Unspeakable, he may have some knowledge of a method of recalling the Dark Lord."

Lucius left the cell. A while later some elves entered, they had clean robes, some simple food. They cleaned him and left him a method to dispose of his waste. There was a cot. Shortly after they returned with a load of books. Crouch began his research.

Upstairs Lucius paced in one of the richly furnished rooms of his Manor. Narcissa and Draco watched him, both of them keeping their thoughts hidden, lounging on elegant settees. "It seems that our guest was involved in an attempt to obtain a body for the Dark Lord. I must find out what the Ministry knows. In some fashion the Dark Lord has suffered a setback. Incredible that Potter managed yet again to foil him. Draco's eyes glittered at the mention of his enemy. "Narcissia what do you think our strategy should be?" Lucius though a deeply twisted man was not, however, a stupid man, he used all his resources and his wife was a major one.

She straightened and regarded the fire, her elegant face calm, eyes dull. "The Dark Lord will return. I do not know what magic he used to ensure his return but it has yet to fail him. He is not dead. Given that fact there are some options we can explore. One is a complete commitment to helping his return, all our resources, time and influence. Another is to support his return while maintaining a front of respectability. The last is to throw our lot in with Dumbledore. Dumbledore's hope is the Potter boy. Potter has proved surprisingly resilient. Should he survive long enough to attain his full powers and training it seems likely that he may defeat the Dark Lord." Draco scoffed.

Lucius regarded his son and heir. "Draco you mistake your opinion of Potter for the truth. Potter has survived longer than anyone other than Dumbledore and Moody. That is fact. There is that damn prophecy. What say you Draco?"

"Father, Potter will never best the Dark Lord. He does not have, he never have, the will to use the means required. Potter will never kill in cold blood. He will never use the unforgivables. He will limit himself as to allies and methods. He will only use those that he deems "good". That oaf Hagrid will stand with him, not the giants, not the Dementors, much of the Ministry will either wait or join the Dark Lord. The Order is weak in the same way. Some of their members are talented fighters yet refused to kill the Dark Lords Death Eaters, and so must face them again. You of all people know how the Ministry can be manipulated father. All the Dark Lords servants remain available to him on his return. Who does Potter have available other than Dumbledore and his Order?"

Lucius nodded. His wife and son stood and left the room, knowing that having heard them Lucius would make his decision. Narcissa was sure of his path and now must start on hers. She would ensure that survival was possible no matter the outcome. She would ensure her son would live. If Lucius decided to support the Dark Lord again, as she expected, Lucius would die.

As Lucius and Narcissa parted at the end of the night he gave her his decision. "I will support Crouch but not openly. I need to be able to distance myself from him if he fails again. If he succeeds I have been loyal, if he fails we are safe." Narcissa nodded. Lucius just did not understand that loyalty earned him nothing but a slower death no matter the twisted pleasures available before that death.

Weeks passed and Crouch was still held in his cell but well fed now and with a desk and writing materials. He requested further books and asked again to speak to Rookwood. Lucius refused, instead offering to question Rookwood. That was their stalemate as Crouch struggled to discover a way to call his Dark Lord to him, he had no wand, he had never been a great scholar. Crouch was insane, the murder of his father haunted him, his mother would appear in his dreams crying, always crying. Lucius was amused and well content to let him struggle.

In Malfoy Manor the memory of Dobby was held bright in the dark places of the elves. He had escaped.

Crouch became convinced that some of the answer was in Little Hangleton. So much had happened there. If that was the location of the rebirthing attempt might it not also be the location of the means to start the rebirthing? It deserved investigation. As August waned Crouch requested a field trip to the graveyard. Lucius was difficult to persuade but eventually decided to allow the attempt. Under heavy guard Crouch was portkeyed to the edge of graveyard. Several very thorough sweeps were made for wards and traps in the area of the manor, the area of the graveyard, and for a radius of a mile around the manor. Slow careful work, more thorough than the Ministry, with Dark tools to sense Dark spells Crouch hoped to find. In the last days of August at the edge of detection one of the searchers found a Dark ward. Again there was a careful investigation of the area. Lucius had a ward breaker brought in from one of his contacts in Knockturn Alley. The Ward Master was very talented and completely without morals. On the last day of August they broke the wards around the Gaunt shack.

Crouch was almost drooling with excitement. "I can feel him Lucius, can you not? He is here." Crouch darted around the room, like a dog on a bird. He fell to his knees in a corner and ripped at the floorboards shredding his hands. The space revealed contained a ring. Had Crouch not used his left arm to reach for that ring he would have been instantly killed. His arm bore the Dark Mark and so he was spared. He grasped the ring sobbing with joy. "He is here, I can feel it." When he put the ring on he made no attempt at all to resist the fragment of soul entering him, he welcomed his Lord into him. Had he resisted he would have died.

Crouch stood and turned to Lucius. His eyes were slits of red. His laugh was the laugh of the Dark Lord high and cold. In the time it took to rise, the Dark Lord was master of Barty's body. "Come my slippery friend, let us go to my Manor and prepare our next campaign."

It was a very shaken Lucius that stepped over the body of the ward breaker. Lord Voldemort did not appreciate an audience that didn't bear his Mark. They walked to the Manor through the afternoon light, Voldemort seeming to glory in breathing, and being alive again. At the door of the Manor he gestured to Lucius and pressed his Mark, summoning his inner circle.

Voldemort began setting the wards about the manor as his Death Eaters apparated to him. He sensed there were further apparitions. "Prepare yourselves, Dumbledore and his Order are here, look to our defenses. Today we finish the old man and his fools." The Dark Lord was confident that his Death Eaters would make short work of the Order. He had seen it too often, killing curses against stunners, a fight the Order could never win. He glowed with pleasure at the thought, twisting the ring on his finger.


	14. Chapter 13 Riddle Manor Burning

Harry tumbled out of the floo at Grimmauld, saw Hermione. She grabbed him, helped him up and steadied him. "Stay close Potter, remember." He nodded and called in the Rapid Response team from Potter's Field.

The townhouse filled rapidly. The combat and medical teams from the Field were there almost immediately. Harry spoke rapidly to the combat teams sending them back for muggle heavy weapons. Hermione floo called the Headmaster. The Order began to arrive. Moody showed up and Harry turned command over to him, the MI guys, and Ron. The new heavy weapons squad, the Weasley twins and a kindred spirit from the Royal Marines were busy with their big guns. The Retreat was empty, everyone was at Grimmauld and primed to go.

Moody called go. All the teams grabbed hula hoops charmed as portkeys to the area of Riddle Manor. Moody, Harry, Hermione, and Albus made up the recon team. The approach to the Manor was slow and careful. The saw no traps, felt no wards from this distance. Moody called for the Heavy Weapons squads to set their equipment up in a triangle around the Manor. The teams apparated into position. Each team had an M60 machine gun and a heavy anti-tank rocket launcher.

Moody shot sparks into the sky as Albus slammed down an anti apparition ward and anti portkey ward. The rocket rounds impacted the Manor almost simultaneously. The reloading went as fast as possible while the M60's raked the structure. The next rockets tore into the building destabilizing portions and starting a collapse. The machine guns sent bursts into any opening. The massive wards around the building collapsed. They hadn't planned on muggle projectiles which passed the wards easily. Evidently the destruction of the building had led to the collapse of the wards. So far they were just destroying an old building. The last rounds of rocket fire were to start the place burning.

Albus shouted "We have attempted apparitions and a single unsuccessful portkey attempt.

A few spells came from the Manor, quickly silenced by the return massed fire of the wizards, the machine guns and rockets. A group of wizards erupted from the building with shields at maximum and broke for the forest close to that side. Order wizards used massed fire from cover, they were behind massive transfigured blocks of marble, volleys of blasting hexes curses tore the Death Eater shields down then the M60s shredded the Death Eaters. The Death Eaters fell in a line from the edge of the Manor headed to the forest and ward boundaries. They had been unable to launch a spell due to the amount of incoming fire. While the one group with shields was dying a single file of Death Eaters, disillusioned, crawled carefully towards the edge of the Orders wards.

Hermione called Potters Field using her cell phone for a close watch on the area to track apparitions from anywhere close to their current position. She was thinking escape tunnels at this point. Moody nodded at her.

A mixture of gun and spell fire erupted on the far side of the Manor. One of the disillusioned had gotten close to the edge of the wards but was seen. A Mad Muggle had opened up with a 12 gauge auto-loading shotgun at an odd looking ripple on the grass near him and done some serious damage to a leg and back. The Death Eater had cast a cutting curse and apparated away. A Mediwitch was with the Muggle almost immediately and had him stabilized and was refilling him with blood replenishers. He would make it. The rest of the crawlers got outside the wards and apparated away. At least five of Riddle's inner circle had escaped.

One arm around Hermione, Harry waited for what he knew had to happen. Riddle wouldn't let this pass unopposed. The Heavy teams went back to collapsing the building with fire and explosion.

Harry's scar exploded with pain as he cinched Hermione tight and called for Albus. "Headmaster, he is trying to get to my mind, I want to have your help please, guide Hermione and yourself into my mind NOW." Harry opened his mind on the nod of the Headmaster and it became very crowded in his skull. Riddle crashed in with a growl of triumph, Dumbledore and Hermione eased in and stood with Harry.

Riddle had possessed Barty Crouch and was about to try to switch to Harry. _"Hello Tom, you came back faster than I had thought you would. How was limbo?" "I will possess you Potter and then I will possess the world." "Look around you Tom, your house is on fire and collapsing on you, you dare not come out of it. Albus has it warded, you can't get away. We have killed most of the Death Eaters that have tried to leave the building Tom. I do hope you have called for more of your Death Eaters, it would make the whole thing so much tidier." _Harry knew Riddle had called. Albus pulled back a little. Harry hoped to call for an eye to their rear. Harry felt his full focus return. _"How do you keep coming back Tom? What ties your twisted loathsome ass to this world?" "Potter you will die at my hands, and soon. After I break you with the torture of your Mudblood whore. Perhaps I shall force you to torture her. Allow Lucius and Bella to play with her for a while. So many ideas." _Harry felt his anger shaking him. He burned to lash out at the filth he felt in his mind. _"Remember Harry we are trying love this time not anger." _Harry nodded at Hermione and regained control, he was still angry, but focused now. _"Well Tom, lets get this over shall we? I am going to kick you out of my brain and follow you to the former Barty's brain and fry that. Ready?"_

Harry leaned over to Hermione and kissed her, looking deep into her eyes, both in his mind and the physical world. On both planes he told her he loved her. He opened his heart and poured out to her his feelings for her, and for Albus. He pulled Riddle to him while doing so. Riddle screamed and his avatar began to smoke, he began to burn.

Tom wrenched himself free and fled, Harry in pursuit. _"This is what it's like for humans Tom. You can have this, all you have to do is penance. Make some amends, try to __atone for your crimes. Can you feel it Tom? It's love. Can you feel it?_ Harry crashed into Barty Crouch's mind. He was in the basement of the Manor, in an hardened room, on the floor screaming. A trapdoor gaped beside him. Harry felt Hermione in him. He kissed her again. He thought of his parents and Sirius and the Weasleys. He thought of Dobby and Winky. He formed those feelings within a magical binding and pushed it from his heart to young Crouch in the basement of the Manor. _"I am sorry for your life Barty, your mother did love you and you knew that. So did your father in a way. This is what it all means Barty, this in your heart now." "HE IS DEAD POTTER THIS HUSK IS MINE" _Harry sensed it was true. _"Tom now it's time for you to leave your new home."_ Harry concentrated as he had never before, gathered as much magical force and as much love as he had, felt that power joined by Hermione's love and her magic and the enormous amount of magic and love Albus had in him. They bound the love with magic and sent it again to Crouch. He exploded. They all felt just a single pulse of joy, of release, as the body died. Barty had died knowing love, escaping a slavery so profound he would never have found himself again. He may have been headed for hell but now at least he knew why.

Over the burning Manor a spirit formed in the smoke and flame. Riddle was hunting for a body again. The soul had seconds before it was forced to the place of shadows. Albus sensed it and sent an ancient curse for the banishing of demons. The shade paused, frozen, then faded, banished to the shadow lands.

The teams began to put out the fires. Harry wanted to reach the room where Crouch lay. He was staggering and sweating now, almost completely exhausted by his efforts, his magic almost gone. "Headmaster can you apparate us to Crouch? His body? Harry and Hermione folded one another into a hug and the Headmaster wrapped them in his arms. They arrived in the basement room.

Crouch lay dead, looking as if he had taken a killing curse, unmarked. His expression was one of peace rather than the terror that contorted the features of those hit with an Aveda Kedavera. He was unwounded. Hermione stilled herself and tried to sense the magic in the room, looking for traps or wards. She sensed a malignancy close by, somewhere on Crouch was a concentrated evil. "Harry, Professor, whats wrong with Crouch's body? There is evil still in him." Like hunting dogs, they scented around the room. Albus with his vast experience narrowed in on the danger. "It's his ring."

Harry knelt and turned Barty's hand over to expose the face of the ring. It was a large gold man's ring with a square black stone, a crudely cut design on the face of the stone. A triangle enclosed in a circle with a vertical slash through the center.

Albus gasped and shuffled towards the body, reaching for the ring. His hand trembled and his eyes were glazed. Hermione pulled on him. "Professor, what are you doing sir?" The Headmaster wrenched his arm free of her grasp and leaned down to grab Crouch's arm. Hermione's stunner knocked him aside, tumbling Harry and Albus to the floor. "Mione! You stunned Dumbledore! What the bloody hell?"

"Harry something isn't right about this, I can feel it. The Headmaster was acting out of control, he didn't seem to hear. How did Riddle find Crouch? How did he take him over? I don't think we should touch that ring. Oh Harry I'm in so much trouble."

Harry studied her carefully. "Right then Mione, we don't touch it." Potter paled then steeled himself and used a severing charm to cut the finger free of the body. They both shuddered with revulsion. Harry looked to Hermione for forgiveness, finding it. "It's the safest way Harry, disgusting but safe." Harry transformed a splinter of wood to a box and edged the finger into the box. Hermione preformed the stasis and locking charms, Harry pocketed the box and enervated the Headmaster.

Dumbledore's first concern was the ring, he looked at Crouch's hand, saw the finger gone. A spasm of anger flashed on his face and a bit of disappointment. He took a deep breath and nodded. "You were very wise Miss Granger. That is a temptation I must not be exposed to, it is evidently beyond me to resist it. Shall we see whats to be done outside?" They formed again for apparition and were squeezed to the edge of the clearing.

Most of the fire was out, Moody was in command of the scene. "Albus there were many, about twenty, apparitions to the area. The ones who came in later were here no longer than a minute. I think they saw smoke and fire, sensed he was gone, and decided that today was not the day. Some earlier ones started to form up back in the trees, two of the muggle weapons teams had good lines of fire and let them have it. They are sorting the remains, a few apparated away. No deaths on our side. Medical is at their rally point now. Two survivors, McNair and Knott. Dead number five so far." Harry prayed that somewhere in the dead was the body of Lucius Malfoy.

The Headmaster nodded. "May I see the survivors?" Moody led them to the captives, bound to medical stretchers, being attended to by the med team. Albus pulled back the left sleeve of their robes. The Dark Mark was just visible, a faint shadow on their skin. The headmaster and his students moved away from the pointless cursing of McNair and Knott.

Ron came to them with Remus and Tonks. "Where any bodies found in the house?" "No Headmaster, we have yet to complete the search, but nothing yet." "You will find Barty Crouch Jr. in the basement in a hardened room. Be very careful in your efforts to open that room. I suggest Bill Weasley for the operation. Alastor, Ronald, your strategy was genius, we defeated Lord Voldemort again with no loss of life, drove off his inner circle, again with no loss of life, while killing or capturing several of them. Your plan and it's execution was inspired. Alastor I wish you to provide command training to young Mr. Weasley, should you fall or should we be fighting on two fronts, we will need his abilities." The Headmaster hugged Alastor. "It has been a long time since the Light has had such a victory, congratulations old friend. Secure the scene from both the Ministry and the muggles and sift the wreckage for clues. We have recovered an artifact that may tell us about Voldemort's ability to return over and over. We will keep you informed. Please tell everyone what a fine job they did. Put McNair and Knott someplace safe from everyone but the Order. Do not let them escape. Remove their marks. I will question them later." Moody grinned like a kid at Christmas when he was told to remove the marks.

His staff nodded and moved out. "Harry, Hermione please return to Grimmauld Place, I am sure Dobby and Winky would be happy to provide transport." The elves appeared next to them scaring the crap out of Harry and Hermione much to the Headmaster's amusement. Winky was quite prim "It is our task to protect you, we must stay near to do that." "Pop us to Headquarters guys." The four were gone. Albus turned back to the scene. So much had happened so near here, the killing of Riddles parent and grandparents, the cemetery fight at the beginning of summer, and now this incarnation at the manor.

Albus hoped their luck would last. He didn't expect it. They had arrived quickly with new tactics and weapons in the middle of the Death Eaters rallying. His teams had hit extremely hard and fast. The new weapons were almost totally responsible for the victory once the fighting started. Had it been wizard to wizard the result would have been much much different. He began to plan on improving response times and furthering the development of the advanced weapons teams research. He needed to talk to the MI spies.

To much to do, always to much to do. School began the next day, and a major investigation into Riddles ability to overcome the death of his body was overdue. The support and monitoring of Potters Field and the Mad Muggles was a full time job. There was the careful investigation of a major battle scene. To much to do.

Everyone was tasked with an after action report due the next day to Moody.

Molly had the kitchen at Grimmauld running at full throttle, putting hearty stews and soups on the table. Firewhiskey and a fine single malt passed around the group as many looked into the distance trying to come to terms with the humans they had blown apart, the bodies shredding under high explosives, and 30 caliber machine gun bullets. The Mad Muggles were toasted for their courage and calm under fire. Ted Johnson, the Muggle shotgunner who had been cut open, was resting in the small infirmary upstairs surrounded by his squad mates, muggle and magical. Slowly the teams returned to their bases, serviced their gear, cleaned up and headed to their homes.

Harry and Hermione were together in the library meditating. Hermione had not seen violence at that level before. The scale of the fighting was new to Harry. They fought to find a meditative center that wasn't blood spattered. Neither would succeed that day. Dobby and Winky appeared with trays of food for them. "Where is yours Sargent?" Dobby gave a tired smile and two more place settings appeared. Ron and Ginny wandered in with trays.

They settled into a comfortable silence. Ginny had seen the faces and her initial anger at not being able to fight was tempered by the looks in the fresh blooded warriors eyes. She was a young lady of unusual empathy, she would wait to feel what they were feeling. Slowly they started to discuss the next day and the train to Hogwarts. Harry and Hermione were of course packed. Hermione would be returning to her parents house this evening after dinner to be with them before the start of term. She would floo to Grimmauld for the journey to Kings Cross. The Weasley's would be as late as ever to the everlasting annoyance of their mother. They finished their food, and looked at one another, shuffling their feet and glancing around. Hermione finally said it. "I am so glad we all made it. It could have been horrible without the Mad Muggles." Heavy sighs agreed with her. She hugged them all and promised to see them in the morning. Green flame roared in the fire and she was gone, Winky popped after her. Harry nodded, shook everyone's hand and hugged Ginny. "See you in the morning guys. Be interesting to see what the ferret does tomorrow." Laughter was there but muted. The Weasleys flooed to the Burrow.

Harry headed to the kitchen to tell Remus and Sirius he was going to bed. He listened to the men chatting about Quidditch and football, their kids and what a long day it had been. He told them all what a wonderful job they had done, what a crushing defeat they had handed Lord Voldemort and how it had been the Mag Muggles that had made that possible. All the wizards there agreed. Had it not been for the Heavy Weapons Teams, the Order would have been caught between a fortified Manor and a large force to their rear. Not a good battle plan.

Harry climbed the stairs to face a new set of nightmares involving high velocity projectiles and human flesh. He was a long time falling asleep.


	15. Chapter 114 Trains and Feasts

Harry was up early and making breakfast with Dobby when Winky and Hermione popped into the kitchen with her trunk and Crookshanks. He gave her a good morning kiss and slid her tea to her done as she liked it. Winky took the luggage out to the front door with Dobby's unneeded help. They were a little while coming back. Winky set the table for four and Harry finished the omelets while Dobby plated the hash browns and sausages.

"Sleep well everyone?" They all shook their heads no. Harry agreed with them. "We did what we had to do." The couples shifted closer together. "Sargent Dobby I want you to pick some Potter elves to be with Hermione, the Weasleys, Neville, Luna, and I over the school year. I want you and Winky to be sure to take care of Mr. and Mrs. Granger. I want Potter elf guards for Sirius and Remus as well as Mad Eye. Can you do that please? And I want to hear what Mad Eye says, should be pretty funny." "Master Harry sir I woulds rather be your guard, and Winky Hermione's." Hermione nodded. "Allright you two, but get the best for my parents will you? I need to know they are safe."

The others in the house made their way to the kitchen. Harry wanted to be at the platform early to watch for trouble. Breakfast was served and the group got ready to head out. Remus had hired a car for the short drive to the station. As always the sights and sounds of Platform 9 ¾ were a thrill. Harry loved them, they meant going back to his home, Hogwarts. The steam from the train rolled in waves over the platform, friends found one another, gossip flew through the air. There was a difference this year in that the muggle born first year kids were comfortable and confident. The first years had a good idea what was going on, what would go on, and had older friends to guide them to the Sorting. There was a team of Mad Muggles on the platform and another ready at Potters Field. Harry staked out a corner and had Hermione do a disillusionment charm on him and herself. They kept careful watch as did Remus, Sirius and Tonks.

"You know Harry we need to get Sirius a lady friend." Harry looked at her edgewise. "Oh?" She nodded. "He needs someone to take his mind off of Azkaban and your parents. He isn't happy and he deserves to be." "Any ideas?" "I haven't seen anyone in the Order yet who seems like a match. It will take quite a lady to tame the mutt." Harry nodded again. "Mrs. Weasley." "Good one Harry, inspired. Her son's would appreciate it also. I'll just go pass the word." Harry grinned. Pranking Sirius was damn near impossible but pranking Sirius in love? Cake. He grinned and began a plan involving the twins, whipped cream, and a camera.

Harry and Hermione piled into the last compartment just as the final whistle blew, Ginny, Neville, Ron, and Luna had held space for them. The twins were off with Lee Jordan plotting dominance of the wizarding wireless frequencies. Harry put an arm around Hermione and asked the others for their news since the last time. They all caught up. Harry and Hermione got involved in a discussion of the Arithmancy of the killing curse. Harry had a few of the basic concepts of the subject down and was curious as to the overwhelming power of the curse, since nothing shielded it. "Show me the power part of the curse Mione." She pointed to a string of symbols that meant nothing to him. "Is that where the intent comes in? You have to mean it for the curse to work, where is that expressed in the equation?" They continued to discuss the problem with Luna and Ginny becoming more and more involved while Ron and Neville enjoyed some Exploding Snap. The train and the discussion rolled along.

When the lunch trolley arrived the gang got one of all the good stuff and enjoyed passing it around. They were headed back into their Arithmancy debate when the door of the carriage slid open on Draco Malfoy and his bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle.

The Light side warriors looked at Draco and almost in unison grinned. Big shit eating grins. Hermione was the first and started politely. "Hello Draco, good summer?" She nodded to Crabbe and Goyle who, completely caught off guard nodded cheerfully back. She grinned at them. They looked more than a little confused. A pretty girl had never smiled at them before. They found they liked it. It was of course a few days before this fact percolated through the several inches of bone that covered the pea sized brains they had. Draco was decidedly wrong footed by the polite and cheerful greeting. No one in the compartment seemed to mind him being there, or feel threatened at all. "Have a seat Draco, Vincent, Greg?" The two dim ones murmured "Um no thanks Granger, got another compartment." Hermione nodded cheerfully. Draco's eyes were slits of suspicion. "Whats your game Granger?" "Just being polite Draco, so is there something you wanted?"

Draco leaned against the door frame, his elegant clothes spotless and beautifully fitted. He arranged his face into his usual sneer. "I see that the level of company you keep Potter is getting worse and worse. You've added Lovegood to your parade of misfits? Pathetic. How fragile your ego must be to need the adulation of such trash." Harry began to laugh. "Luna I think we have a wrackspurt infestation just like last trip, can you drive it off?" Luna looked up from her Quibbler. "I am sorry Harry but in this case the infestation has completely overwhelmed the host. It must leave of it's own accord or leave comatose." Harry grinned. "Do you have any preferences Luna?" "Either is fine Harry, although comatose has more interesting possibilities." Harry nodded to her. "Was there anything else Draco?"

Draco scowled around the compartment which was notable in that no one really seemed to care what he said. Draco went for the big effect. "He will be back you know." Hermione nodded and grinned. Ron got his shot in "He was yesterday for a minute. We killed him again. Who got him this time Harry?" "Hermione, the Headmaster, and I worked together on him. Wasn't to bad, I had just a headache, how about you Hermione?" "Not even that." Ron turned to Draco "Your dad get home allright mate? There were some Death Eater bodies about, quite a few actually." Ron turned serious for a minute. "It would be terrible to lose your parents or for them to lose their child Draco. Maybe it would be best to back off this thing." Luna thought she saw a flash of uncertainty and probed a little. "It doesn't have to be this way for you Draco, you are not marked, you love, you still have a chance." She saw the shock in his face before his training took over and he sneered "Pathetic as I said." He turned in an elegant whirl of clothes and left the doorway.

"I think thats a first, no one had to curse him, we must be getting old." Ginny shook her head. "It's always peaceful around Luna. Are you an empath?" Luna's bright goofy smile filled the compartment. "Yes a bit Ginny, that was very perceptive of you. I am more comfortable around people that are happy so I try to influence them to be so." Hermione nodded, a theory confirmed. "So the Loony personality is a cover then? Loony hasn't been in here today. I'm guessing you don't feel the need for her around friends?" Luna nodded shyly. "Being an empath and shy is difficult. You lot are unusual for more than a few things. One is compassion. One is love. One is magical power. All those are intertwined in the most interesting way. As we were saying about the Killing Curse equation.."

Harry and Hermione leaned forward with Ginny and began the discussion again. Harry had decided to drop Divination for Arithmancy by the end of the ride.

Hermione of course promised him all the help he would need to get to OWL level by the end of the year. He should have plenty of time if he dropped Quidditch and Divination for Arithmancy, at least according to Hermione. He shuddered to think of the hours of grinding he had just taken on.

They changed robes and congratulated one another on the most peaceful trip yet. Piling out onto Hogmeade station everyone was happy to see their friend Hagrid. "Allright there you lot?" Everyone waved and grinned. "First years, first years this way please, follow me."

Ron, Hermione, Harry and Luna looked at the thestrals. Luna walked up to one and started to pet it. Harry and the rest followed. They were beautiful in an odd way. Their hides were soft and supple, their eyes held a soft glow. The carriage ride was pleasant, and the first sight of the castle as always lifted Harry's heart, how a building so large could look so welcoming was, well, magical. The bustle into the Entrance Hall and then into the Great Hall was as frantic as ever.

Peeves started his usual pranks pouring buckets of water on the unsuspecting. Harry started fighting back. He finally hit Peeves with an Impedimentia Jinx that locked him up and followed with a Mobilcorpus trailing Peeves behind him into the Great Hall. Peeves cursed and howled until he saw Harry towing him over to the Bloody Baron. The Baron stood and continued with Peeves out of the hall, the gibbering of Peeves fading towards the dungeon. Harry wheeled around and walked to Hermione's side at the Gryffindor table. No student had ever beaten Peeves. The twins commiserated with Harry, he had just ensured that he would have to practice Moody's Constant Vigilance to stay ahead of the poltergeist.

Harry and his friends discussed the sorting hats song and watched the sorting clapping some for all the students and loudly for the Gryffindors. The Headmaster had a few words for them before the feast; "scrofula, zip, transistor, sputnik". Hermione was of the opinion that the headmaster had acquired an interest in muggle technology following the battle at Riddle Manor. The feast was fabulous as usual. Following the meal the Headmaster stood for his welcome speech.

"Good evening students, welcome to another exciting year of education and enjoyment. Great events have taken place in the past few months. Lord Voldermort was prevented from acquiring one physical form and ejected from another, finally being banished to the shade at the end of the TriWizard Tournament by Cedric Diggory, Harry Potter and with a minor assist by myself.

Just yesterday Lord Voldemort again obtained a corporeal form. He possessed the body of Barty Crouch Jr. at Riddle Manor in Little Hangleton. A team of light side soldiers converged on Riddle Manor and managed to eject Lord Voldemort from young Mr. Crouches body and to banish Voldemort to the shade. There was additional fighting between the forces of the light and those of the dark. Many Death Eaters were killed, two captured, and something like five escaped. Riddle Manor, the home of Lord Voldemort's father was destroyed in the assault. Please note how quickly he was able to regain corporal form this a mere few months after being defeated in the graveyard at Little Hangleton. We can not expect that we have long before he visits us again. We must prepare. In order for that preparation to move as quickly as possible there will be a decided emphasis placed on self defense and combat skills during this year. All students will be taught defensive skills, some will be selected by the staff for advanced combat training. Let us hope they are not required to assist Hogwarts in defending her students. Central to our effort is our new teacher, Lord Sirius Black, new Professor of Defense against the Dark Arts. Please welcome him." The applause at the Gryffindor table was deafening. "Quidditch try outs will be posted in your common rooms. Please see Mr. Fitch for a full listing of forbidden items which now number in the high 800's. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students not accompanied by Professor Rubeus Hagrid. Finally your luggage and beds await you, up you hop and off you trot. Mr. Potter please see me directly."

Harry sighed. He nodded to Hermione who was off to do her prefect duties and made his way to the Headmaster. "Yes sir?" "Harry I would like to speak to you about several things, please come with me." Harry followed the Headmaster into the small room off of the Great Hall where he had met the other TriWizard Champions. They had a seat. "Lemon drop?" Harry took one for the first time ever. He found they were wonderful. Albus smiled at him, eyes doing the patented Dumbledore twinkle. "I would like to make a request sir, I would like to drop Divination and join Arithmancy. Hermione has offered to tutor me and I believe I can obtain an OWL if I drop Quidditch also. I should have time in that case."

Dumbledore regarded Harry quite seriously. "But you love Quidditch Harry." The boy nodded. "Yes sir I do, I hate Divination and have found myself drawn to Arithmancy over the summer. I keep having questions that I can only answer by understanding Arithmancy. My only chance to learn enough is to make the time somehow and to take the class." "Very well Harry, although I must say I expect to see you in the air as often as you can manage it.

Dumbledore pause for a moment. "I would like a club started at school Harry, a self defense club. I will invite guest lecturers and I hope you will help teach the club along with your friends with whom you have trained this summer. You have more combat experience against Death Eaters than almost anyone alive. I would like you to concentrate on defense, and evasion for all the students that attend, and for a select few I would like you to train with them as combat teams. I think groups of six to eight, as many groups as we can form. I will ask Mad Eye, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and Kingsley to help train as well as some of the muggle trainers I have been able to access through the Mad Muggles. Actually I have contracted with a muggle Royal Marine drill instructor to assist Sirius and the Defense club in their work. I want you to lead this club so that access can be by invitation. I will not train dark fighters" Harry nodded. "Anything else sir?" "I will ask Professor Vector to make herself available for tutoring by appointment if you find Ms. Granger can not answer you satisfactorily." Harry grinned "I doubt that will happen sir." "Well then Harry I think this is goodnight, please wish Miss Granger well for me." Harry nodded and hurried from the room.

The trip to Gryffindor tower was uneventful except for Peeves dive bombing Harry with water balloons. Harry learned that it took a delicate touch to guide the balloons away from him and back on Peeves, too much force and they would burst. They were both laughing like idiots by the time Harry got to the tower thanking all that was holy that Peeves wasn't allowed inside. He yelled the password and dove through the opening just ahead of a multi balloon barrage. He got a quick cushioning charm off, and saved the balloons from bursting. He charmed them all to act as one and had the twins pop the portrait open. Sure enough Peeves was sassing the Fat Lady who had taken a balloon to the bust and was unhappy about it. Harry swished his wand and the half dozen balloons arched into Peeves in a tidal wave of icy water. The portrait closed to the Fat Ladies cheering and Peeves cursing.

"Hey Hermione can you teach me that drying charm please? Peeves seems to be into water sports." He had a rudimentary grasp in a few minutes and spent the next while steaming by the fire while he worked on drying himself. Harry told them about his meeting with the Headmaster. Hermione was ecstatic that she would have her two favorite things in one place for much of the year, Harry and the library. Ron on the other hand was more than a bit upset that Harry would quit the team. Ginny's eyes lit up at the idea of the open spots. Keeper and Seeker were open. "Ron, you go for Keeper and I will go for Seeker!" Ron thought about that and started to like the idea better but still was not best pleased. "Gin you can use my Firebolt, Ron we need you to have a decent broom." "No worries Harry I got one for making prefect." Harry nodded. He had just hatched a plan. It was good he would be seeing his guardian and Remus often. His idea would be expensive but would do a lot to make Quidditch at Hogwarts less of a pureblood preserve. Potters Field would need a supply of brooms as well.

"Hermione I need to be able to pass the Arithmancy OWL by the end of the year. Where should I start? Everyone groaned, there would be no more talking to either of them once they got rolling on Hermione's plans for revising with Harry.

Ginny had another concern. "Hey you lot, I am worried about Luna, I hate that her house treats her so terribly. How can we offer her some protection?" The boys looked a bit uncomfortable and shuffled their feet. "They steal her clothes and supplies, they insult her all the time, if it was you, what would you want someone to do for you?" Fred and George looked at one another. "Right then. Pranks with a Plan. Operation Protect Loony is underway." Ron and Neville nodded. "We will watch for her Ginny, just call us if you see anything we don't." Ron after a bit of strategy came up with the weak link in their plan. "Once she is in her tower, we can't help her. We need someone inside to keep an eye on her. Like Dobby does for Harry. Little bugger never leaves him." Neville slapped Ron on the back causing him to almost break a tooth on his butterbeer. "We ask Harry for a Potter elf to watch over her. Problem solved."

Slowly the common room emptied, Harry and Hermione were finally alone on the couch in front of the fire. She curled into his lap and breathed slowly and deeply. "How are you love?" She nodded slowly. "I don't feel bad about yesterday Harry. Crouch was already dead, Riddle killed him. We freed him. Riddle didn't die. It was only those poor souls that follow him that died. The muggle weapons are terrible aren't they? So impersonal." Harry nodded. The fire glinted in her hair, picking up little lights in it. She smelled like a long day, a clean girl after a long day. He inhaled deeply, softly, letting the smell imprint on him. They kissed softly and gently not with passion but with overwhelming tenderness. Her hands ruffled his messy hair, she always did that when she was at peace. Her other hand rested on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. They regarded one another seriously. "Love you honey." "Love you too Harry." She kissed the corner of his mouth and curled tighter into his arms. He sank his nose into her hair, breathing her in. Sleep found them there. A Potter elf covered them with a white duvet with the Potter crest on it and watched over them as they slept. The elf used her subtle magic to stretch them out in some comfort without waking them. Hogwarts elves moved through the tower cleaning but left the two lovers alone and bowed respectfully to the Potter elf who returned the honor. She woke them just before they would have been discovered and sent them to their showers. It wasn't the Retreat, but they had a full nights sleep without nightmares.


	16. Chapter 15 Trains and Feasts

Hermione stumbled out of the shower and got dressed quickly. There was a lot to do before the end of the day. She hurried downstairs with her first years Arithmancy notes and book which she piled into Harry's arms. "Start on this and we can see what you need at the library this evening alright?" Harry nodded sleepily and handed her out the portrait hole towards the Great Hall. They strolled along, hand in hand, the halls quiet. Peeves didn't even have to try. The water balloons crashed over them in a steady stream. Harry roared while Hermione cursed them both. Harry pulled his wand and pushed, grunting like a shot put. All the water formed into a great ball with the incoming balloons pulled into it. Peeves was jerked into the middle of the mass of water and the whole was launched through the doors of the castle arching high into the air before hitting Black Lake. Hermione leaned in close to Harry and whispered "Do you think he got the message?" They both began to laugh and continued into the Great Hall casting drying charms on one another. The Bloody Baron drifted by, his eyes staring and silvery, murmuring "Very nice." They grinned into their tea.

Slowly the hall filled and the Heads of House handed out schedules. Harry's looked decidedly odd. He did have Arithmancy with Hermione as he had hoped although it was marked as independent study. They shared all their classes except when Hermione had Ancient Runes. Harry had Advanced DADA for a half day every weekend and Tuesday and Thursday evenings, with Defense Club Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for three hours after dinner. Harry felt a huge whine building in his throat. He really wanted his weekends off, it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that someone was killing Muggle children, it wasn't fair that Riddle kept coming back over and over. It wasn't fair what the Death Eaters did to anyone whatever they cared to. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Looks full, think we can do it?" She smiled at him and nodded. "I know we can Harry, there is nothing we can't do together." He nodded, kissed her cheek and began planning the nights defense club meeting.

Breakfast was, as usual, excellent. The gang sat and complained about the schedules they had gotten and tried to cheer one another up about Professor Snape, the slimy Slytherin. Ron was eying the Ravenclaw table, keeping an eye on Luna. She seemed to be a bit down, some of the glow gone that she had shown over the summer as they had trained.

Ron stood and walked over to her. "Luna may I sit with you?" "Of course Ronald." She blushed just a bit and made room for him. He poured some tea for her and himself and started chatting with her. The Ravenclaw table seemed all ears and teeth. Teenagers, even very bright ones, do have an unfortunate habit of singling out one person for all the negativity and doubts that they shared. Luna was that person for Ravenclaw, as Neville had been for Gryffindor. Ron was going to change that.

"So how was your first night back Luna?" She started to answer but was interrupted by Cho Chang, the prefect. "Oh she was her usual dotty self. Complaining about losing her things. As if she had anything worth losing." Ron's ears went red, a sure sign that all was not well in Ronland. "One thing she won't be losing is my friendship. She is my friend and I fight for my friends. If I learn that she is being harassed I will come for you and I won't come alone and I won't stop until she is treated with the respect she deserves. She is worth your respect. Leave her alone if you can't treat her well. Return her things by this evening and no more will be done. If you don't, Merlin help you, it's war."

Ravenclaws were noted for brains. They decided by independent multiply redundant analysis to keep their yaps shut. Ron looked at Luna who was studying her toast and fruit with great care and a slight smile creeping into the corners of her mouth. She had a tear on her cheek, slowly making its way to her chin. His callused thumb gently brushed it from her face. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I know you won't tell me if they do it or not, so we will just have to figure out a different way. I wish they could see you as I do, but they can't. Guess they aren't so damn smart are they?" He lifted her chin gently, with a soft touch, and looked in her eyes. "Anything you need Luna you let me know, I will be there, we all will." She smiled softly and nodded quickly, her strange silver eyes full of unshed tears. He nodded back and wrapped her in a tight hug. "It stops now Luna, trust me." She nodded into his shoulder and gave a small shudder.

Ron stood and studied the table. "Don't fuck with me on this, I meant it. All her things back by curfew, and if you can't be nice, leave her alone. Or war. Take your pick."

Anthony Goldstein finally grew enough of a set that he was able to speak. "Now see here Weasley if you think for one minute you can threaten the whole of Ravenclaw you have another..." He stopped talking because Ron had closed off his air supply with one hand. "Do you really want a war with the Weasleys, Neville, Potter and Granger? Do you really think you stand a chance if we come for you? She is family, we won't stop."

Ron turned and stalked back to the Gryffindor table. Harry had tracked the whole scene. He hadn't heard but he could see clearly. A quick glance showed him the rest of the team were focused on Ron as well. They had their wands out but below the table. "Allright mate?" "Aye, just setting those domeheads right about our Luna. Seems they were into her things last night. I gave them until curfew to return her things and told them to treat her with respect or leave her alone. Told them it was war if they didn't. I think they got the message. I hate leaving her in there with them, snotty bastards." Fred and George snapped their heads around to regard the Ravenclaw table, predatory smiles in place. "Brother mine do you think they will listen to Ronnykins?" "No, no, they won't, more fools they." "We need to prepare then, what do we have on hand?" The twins dropped into a technical discussion with occasional assistance from Hermione.

The gang stood to go to their first class of the year. The girls hugged Ron and the boys clapped him on the shoulder. As they piled out of the Great Hall Luna appeared in their midst. With hugs all around and a tumult of excited chatter about just what pranks her house might find itself subject to Luna didn't notice the tracking and protective charms Hermione put on her and her possessions. "Luna I would like to visit you in your dorm this evening sometime if you don't mind, I have some charms I would like to put around your bed and on your things." "Well of course Hermione, your always welcome, I must say that it is very nice to have friends but this really isn't necessary." Neville spoke up "It is necessary, it shouldn't be, but it is. It's wrong how they treat you. It's not Death Eater wrong, but it's wrong. We protect people from being hurt, especially our friends." Hermione was the one to warn them "Come on you lot, we will be late!" They hurried their separate ways.

The first class was, of course, double Potions with the Slytherins. Neville, Ron, Hermione and Harry hurried to the dungeon potions lab, just making their seats as the bell rang. Snape promptly deducted 5 points each from Gryffindor for their tardiness. Harry held up his wand and spoke clearly "Recordus".

Harry had no plan for the greasy git. He just had no intention of taking any more of Snape's vileness. Snape responded as quickly and negatively as Harry knew he would. "Potter cease that recording spell." "No Professor." "You will cease that recording spell or you will lose 50 points and have a detention with me." "I am recording your class as a study aid Professor. It is my intention to excel in Potions this year and to achieve an Outstanding on my OWL this summer. Do you deny me an aid to study Professor?" Snape fumed and paced. The damn recording spell was still running. If he vented his spleen as he would usually do, there would be a record that would be open to question as to meaning but not as to fact. Snape ground out "You will need your wand to do your work Mr. Potter." "This is a spare sir, I have my primary for my work."

Harry watched Snape get paler. Hermione's hand shot into the air. Snape ignored her. Her hand was followed by Neville's and Ron's as well as a few other Gryffindors quick on the uptake as well as a few slow Slytherins. Snape ignored them all for a minute. He would be forced to call on someone, the recording spell was visual as well as audio. "Mr. Longbottom what drivel have you to spew?" "Sir I would find recordings of this class most helpful as well. I could revise effectively as well as share my class experience with my gran so that she could assure the Board of Governors of the quality and fairness of potion instruction." Little beads of sweat formed on Snape's brow, Madam Augusta Longbottom knew every one of the Board of Governors.

Snape whirled to the board. "We will begin the year with the preparation of the Calming Drought. The ingredients as well as the method are on the board, begin." Hermione paired with Neville and Ron with Harry. Neville needed Hermione's high powered help to prevent catastrophe while Ron and Harry could do well if they concentrated. Having achieved at least the short term objective of neutralizing Snape, they worked carefully. The recording charm prevented the usual harping of Malfoy and his crew. It was with great satisfaction that the Gryffindor's handed in their work. The lions uproarious laughter as they exited the potions lab so upset Snape that all their samples fell to the floor and smashed. They would be disappointed no doubt at their scores of zero for the day, but what to do? Accidents did happen. There was a Snapely smirk.

Harry found a quite corner and called for House Potter elf. An elf he had never met before popped into place in front of him, hair in dreadlocks, a huge splif hanging from his lips, eyes heavily lidded. Harry was a bit shocked at the difference between this elf and any others he had met. "Er, Hello, I'm Harry Potter, I need your help." "Of course Master Harry sir, anything you require Stoney is going to be doing. What can I do for the great Harry Potter sir?" The high pitched drawl was strange to the ear. "I would like you to guard a student here at school named Luna Lovegood, she is in Ravenclaw house. Her house mates don't treat her well, they steal her belongings and mock her. We have given them until curfew tonight to return her things. I want you to find her things, find who took them, and if they do not return them I want you to mark the people who stole them as thieves. I want you to follow her during the day and make sure no one hurts or hexes her as well as stay by her at night. Can you do that Stoney? Without being seen?" "Aye Master Harry sir, Stoney will be quick and clever, unseen and will keep your friend safe. Can you take me to her sir?" "I can't Stoney, you will have to find Ginny Weasley and ask her, she should know." "Aye sir, I have met Miss Weezy, I'm off then." Stoney popped away leaving an aromatic smell in the air much like the Divination Tower. Harry, feeling a bit woozy, headed for his next class.

He used History of Magic to begin his revision of Arithmancy. Hermione hissed like a tea kettle at him but he withstood her muttering and prodding and was deep in the revision when the bell rang and it was lunch. They hurried to the Great Hall, Ron split off from them to sit with Luna at the Ravenclaw table. He glared at all the claws, daring them, but no one spoke. Luna blushed quite prettily and served Ron his usual gargantuan helping of all the food closest to him. He grinned at her, causing an even more evident blush. "Dinner with the Gryffindors this evening Luna?" "Why yes Ronald, that would be nice, we can discuss our first day and our Defense Club." She sat silent and ate her usual meal of not much and most of it green while Ron worked his way through many thousands of calories of fat and protein.

The rest of the gang were speculating about Ron's sudden championing of Luna as well as roaring over Harry's naivety about Stoney. A pool was quickly started with Fred and George handicapping the odds on Ron and Luna. Harry got a note to attend the Headmaster after dinner and before the Defense Club's first meeting. Harry and Hermione both said "Snape" at the same time. This should be interesting.

Dinner that evening was a fun affair, Luna and Hermione teasing one another about her eccentric creatures, Hermione getting ever more huffy and proper while Luna would barely form a complete linear thought. Soon the whole table was sputtering. Ron was regarding both girls with great fondness, his eyes alight. He did love a good chess match.

At a nod from the Headmaster, Harry and Hermione stood and left the Great Hall for his quarters. Dumbledore was waiting for them by the gargoyle, the stair already spiraling upwards. They rode in silence. Harry never got bored visiting Dumbledore's quarters. He hoped someday to understand the function of the silver instruments that did so precisely what they did. A comfortable fire crackled. At the Headmasters gesture they sat. "Lemon drop?" Harry for the second time took one. "Thank you sir." "Miss Granger?" "No Sir, thank you." "Perhaps you are wondering why I have asked to speak to you this evening?" They nodded, trying to keep the eye rolling to a minimum. "I am concerned with your activities in your Potions class. Please tell me why you did what you did."

Harry spoke first. "Spur of the moment sir actually. I should have mapped out a better strategy with Hermione, that was my first mistake. My intention is to either reform him into an acceptable and fair teacher or remove him."

Dumbledore's eyes were chips of ice, the many wrinkles of his face seemed carved in stone. "You think you have the right and ability to remove my teachers?" His voice would have frozen nitrogen. "Yes sir I do have that right. He is cruel, vindictive, and a poor instructor as well as unfair. It remains to be seen if I have the ability. This attempt was not well thought out, our next will be, should this fail."

"Mr. Potter you have claimed a right without the might to enforce that right, then listed character defects of another in defense of that right. Support your "right" with fact please."

Hermione spoke for the first time. "Sir you ignore the reason we are all here. Teachers to teach and students to learn. Students have not only a duty but a right to learn. The schools Board of Governors oversees the functioning of the school. Their duty is to see that education takes place at Hogwarts. In the main they, and you, are very successful. Potions instruction is an area that needs much improvement. We are willing to prove that fact to you and the Board both of whom undoubtedly have the right to remove teachers. Learning is difficult when instruction is poor, when discipline is unfair and vindictive. Admittedly there is a degree of subjectivity to the interpretation of the participants. We seek an independent record so that parties not involved may review the situation and come to an unbiased decision. If all goes as it did today, we have solved the harassment issues. We have yet to solve the poor instruction techniques. Please observe Professor Snape's teaching methods."

Harry pulled his spare wand and cast the spell that played back the recording. Dumbledore watched and listened carefully his eyebrows climbing when the only instruction given has the list of ingredients and the written method on the board. He watched as Snape assisted his Slytherins and ignored the Gryffindors.

"Very well. You may continue to record Professor Snape's classes. I will require samples of your potions delivered to me as well as to him until such time as I tell you I no longer need them. It will not be necessary for Professor Snape to know you are giving me samples of your work. I will review the rest of the classes for this week when you deliver them to me on Friday evening. I find your method overly aggressive. I would have preferred you had come directly to me as overseeing my instructors is my task." He paused a moment. "Tell me about Mr. Weasley and his confrontation with the Ravenclaws. I have several reports of various threats made by him."

Hermione took this one. "Ron and the rest of us have gotten to know Luna rather better over the summer and have grown quite fond of her. She has opened up a little about her life here at Hogwarts. Her property is constantly stolen, she is treated as a scapegoat, mocked and bullied by her house. She is a friend and we protect our friends. Ron put Ravenclaw House on warning to return her things by curfew, to either leave her alone or treat her well, or it's war with us. We all stand with him."

Dumbledore shook his head slowly, a god deciding fates. "It is not to you to manage another House, or your own for that matter. You and your friends are becoming a serious problem with your arrogance. You will cease your interference in Ravenclaw."

Harry shot to his feet, a lifetime of injustice and anger raging in him. His magic roiled in the room, papers blowing, Fawkes crooned and spread his wings seeming to glory in it, Hermione took his hand.

"Headmaster I am seeing a theme in my life and in the magical world. I spent 10 years in a cupboard under the stairs at the Dursley's being abused, beaten and left hungry. I come to Hogwarts and am abused and bullied by Snape. I see my friends suffer the same treatment. I see my friend Luna, the kindest person I have ever met, bullied, abused, and robbed by the brightest of the school with no repercussions. Did the Ravenclaws get the subliminal message faster than the rest of us? I see a government unresponsive to it's people, bulling them, abusing them, lying to them while allowing the rise of a Dark Lord. After learning at Hogwarts that there is no justice, that the authorities tasked with the students protection will do NOTHING your students go into the world to either bully, be bullied, to abuse or be abused, and to never expect authority to do fuck all about it. WHY DO YOU ALLOW THIS? You may not have known the facts of my life at the Dursley's in the beginning but you damn sure should have sometime in the next 10 years and you should have done something about it. You may not have known about Snape when you first hired him over a decade ago, but you damn sure should have sometime since and done something about it. IS IT YOUR INTENTION TO TRAIN SHEEP?"

Dumbledore's eyes were steel. "You are impertinent and you are dismissed. Leave me." Fawkes gave a cry of rage, flew to Harry's shoulder and looked at Dumbledore for a long moment. Suddenly the Headmaster looked unsure of himself. "I will consider what you have said." Fawkes rubbed his head against the side of Harry's face and flew back to his perch.

They were quiet on the ride down the stairs. "Well I guess it's back to the Great Hall for the Defense Club Harry. This is certainly a full rich day." They started to laugh and couldn't stop for a long time. Hermione folded Harry into her arms, rubbing his back and murmuring "I have you, I have you, here it's safe." He shuddered for a few minutes then kissed her softly. "Onward through the fog love." She nodded.

When they entered the Great Hall most of the students were milling about. Hundreds of students. Harry was shocked. "Oh bloody hell Mione. What are we going to do?" "I've got the first part Harry, you just worry about what we are going to teach."

Hermione cast Sonorus on herself. "Good evening, I hope we aren't late, we had an unexpected meeting. I want to thank you all for the interest you have shown in learning practical defense and in this attempt to teach it. The first thing we are going to do is have everyone take a magical oath that they will oppose the Dark Arts, including Lord Voldemort in any of his incarnations as well as all his followers. Combat team come forward please." The Weasleys, Luna, Neville, Harry and Hermione all lined up at a table with parchment in front of each of them. "This is a student run club, membership will be restricted to those students opposed to the use of Dark Magic. Form a line in front of each person here, the form of the oath is on the top of the parchment, make your oath and sign the parchment. If you are not willing to make that oath, leave. If you need time to think about it, thats fine, you will be welcome whenever you do feel able to take the oath but not until."

The crowd eddied and drifted gradually shrinking until it was a bit over one hundred. The level of seriousness in the room was palpable. Harry and Hermione took the oath first and signed the parchment quickly followed by the rest of the combat team. Others trickled to the tables, and gradually the pace built until all in the room were sworn fighters for the light. They were all ages and all houses. A few Slytherins had shown Gryffindor bravery giving their oath and signing the parchment. Harry immediately assigned Potter elves to guard the Slytherins. It was Harry's turn. He cast Sonorus on himself.

"Thanks for being here. The first thing we are going to do is to practice evasion and defense. We will hold off on offense for a while, Death Eaters are tough and they cheat, your best chance is to get away and call in backup. We hope to train to the point of being able to mop the floor with Death Eaters in anything close to an even fight but until that time we need to stay alive. Please form groups of about a dozen and one of the Combat Team will be with you to start your practice. We will be doing shield charms and evasion. Combat Team you know the drill, lets go guys, we don't have a lot of time."

Hermione moved through the crowd chivying groups together and turning them over to Team members. Finally she and Harry took a group each and began the drills. An hour and a half later the Defense Club was sweaty, stinging and happy. Everyone headed off to their dorms chattering about the club.

Sirius who had observed the club while disillusioned talked to Harry and Hermione "Good job. I didn't expect the oath but it was a fast way to tell the ducks from the drakes. It will be interesting to see the final tally. Keep them on shields and evasion for a few weeks, maybe with some flexibility exercises for their free time. He gave them both a much needed hug and started to leave. "Sirius, I had a fight with the Headmaster tonight, I need to talk to you later in the week about it." Sirius grinned at him. "I had already heard that pup. Must have been a good one. There is a staff meeting before breakfast tomorrow. I'll let you know. Love you pup, Hermione, see you tomorrow."

Hermione headed to Luna's dorm and Harry to the library for homework and Arithmancy revision.

Hermione caught Luna and they walked arm in arm to Ravenclaw Tower and into the common room. It was a beautiful room, full of windows and books, not as homey as Gryffindor, but elegant and cool. Some hapless Ravenclaw a bit dimmer than the rest piped up "Oh look it's Loony and the Granger brat."

There was a pop and the victim had a pig snout with a squealing voice to match. The odor of a splif lingered in the air. A first year looked up at the two girls and chirped "Hello Luna, Hermione." They smiled and gave her a hug, told her hello, her name was Alice. As they turned to Luna's dorm room a dozen wildflowers dropped into Alice's arms. They smelled oddly of marijuana.

In Luna's dorm room Hermione put tracking charms on all her possessions, an advanced version Moody had taught her, Auror grade. She warded Luna's bed with wards of intent, no one could approach it with the intent to harm the occupant, and wards of alarm. She tested the area and removed several hexes that would have caused an uncomfortable night for her friend. Luna worked alongside her humming. Finished, they grinned at one another. "That may hold them for a bit Luna. Did all your things return?" Luna sighed dreamily "Not yet, there is still a bit of time before curfew, I will walk you out and then stay in the common room inspecting for granfeloons until curfew to allow for their return. It's so nice of you to help me Hermione." They both blushed a bit and hugged. "It's what friends do Luna." When Luna went to sleep there were several things still missing. Stoney found them all and branded the people who took them with bright blue letters across their foreheads "THEIF". Madam Pomfrey seemed to be unable to remove the letters. The only method of removal was to apologized to Luna in front of the student body. Most gave in that day, the last before the week was out.

By Friday everyone was ready for the weekend. The half day advanced training Saturday was going to start at a stupid early hour so the Combat Team got to bed early.

Saturday was cold and windy with occasional rain. The Combat team dressed for exercise, trainers, sweatpants and hoodies. They made their way to the Entrance Hall to meet their new trainer. He was gray with age and looked to be chiseled from some very hard stone. Any fool looking at him could see he was military, and not motor pool. He barked, he didn't speak. He was not pleasant. He was not polite. He was rough and he expected total effort from all of them. They started to stretch and then began a morning run. Before long almost everyone was lagging. The Sargent was steady in his pace and pulling away from them. If one of the stopped running stinging hexes came from nowhere and encouraged further effort. The Sargent was stretching out when the finished and made sure they did also. Next were agility exercises. They worked on flexibility and quickness drills. Harry was extremely fast, but his flexibility needed a lot of work. The ladies were more flexible. The Sargent suggested dancing as a good and pleasant method of improving their agility, teamwork and timing. He told them to meet him every day at the same time and dismissed them to breakfast with instructions to meet him after for hand to hand combat training.

By lunch the Combat team was a massive collection of bruises and nap ready. After showers and a nap, Hermione had Harry in the library plowing through their homework assignments and his Arithmancy revision. The homework wasn't bad due to the study over the summer and with her help and notes the Arithmancy just took work, like anything else. By early evening they were working ahead for the coming weeks classes and enjoying both the learning and one another's company. Harry passed her the invisibility cloak and asked her to join him for a good nights sleep. Her gentle smile was all the answer he needed. A few soothing kisses and spooning up had them asleep in minutes.

Sunday afternoon Harry went to see Sirius to catch up on their first week. The two walked to Hagrid's hut to have some tea and talk to their friend. Fang's booming bark and Hagrid's rib crunching hugs were welcome. Soon they were laughing and drinking tea, Harry petting Fang. Harry got a report on the weeks staff meeting when Dumbledore had reminded all the teachers that no favoritism should be shown to anyone, especially to Harry and the Combat Team. The Headmaster demanded that they be held as accountable as any other student. The Headmaster was no fool. He knew his way about a political minefield. Harry had dropped off his weeks recordings of potions class and his samples, along with a weeks worth of all other potions classes containing Gryffindors with samples to the Headmaster on Friday after dinner. Harry was very interested in seeing if Snape would push it or show Slythirin cunning and bow to the inevitable.

Sitting with his dogfather and Hagrid Harry felt wonderful. There was a warm male companionship in the air and Ron's knock on the door was welcome. Harry had been in the library or in various classes so much that it seemed the only time he got with his best mate was when they were snoring. In the late afternoon Ron and Harry left Sirius and Hagrid who were moving on to firewhiskey from tea. Neither made it to dinner and on Monday Sirius looked a bit peaked. Even a magical hangover potion only did so much.


	17. Chapter 16 Question and Answer

The Combat Team was up every morning for physical training, agility training and martial arts. Slowly a number of students joined until most of the Defense Club was involved at least most of the time. The Sargent had to demonstrate once the utility of martial arts on Ernie the Hufflepuff who didn't see the need for close combat skills considering he was a wizard. Quite quickly Ernie was visiting Madam Pomfrey with a dislocated elbow and a mild concussion. The Sargent didn't have a hair out of place. Many of the muggleborns suspected he was an cyborg.

Tuesday and Thursday nights, the Combat Team and those who could keep up, were given advanced tactical lessons. Group urban fighting, close quarters group movement, advanced spells, dueling practice and combined arms practice. They became familiar with grenades, pistols, assault rifles, and sniper rifles, mines, and even a demonstration of artillery arranged by the MI spy guys of Potter's Field. Professor Flitwick gave a demonstration of his dueling abilities. He used apparition as a part of his strategy to such amazing effect that they all trained like mad to master that art. They all found their niches. Ginny was a sniper, deadly so long as she used a cushioning charm. Ron was the tactician. Neville was a squad leader, he could keep in mind his people, where they were, what they could do and how to get them to do it while fighting like a wolverine at the same time. They conducted a live fire exercise.

Aragog, the King Acromantula, had died, and his spawn were enlarging their area of the Forbidden Forest rapidly, displacing other creatures. The Combat Team went in to thin the numbers. Hagrid, who was against the whole idea until he saw a unicorn foal being dragged into the nest, finally he gave his approval.

Harry went into the fight with Hermione by his side, an M16 on his back, the sword of Gryffindor at his side and two wands. He was packing and strutting, feeling pretty much a total bad ass. Ron had laid out a mine field in the form of a wide V with the help of Fred and George, overseen by a borrowed expert from the MI spy guys. Harry and Hermione walked straight down the center of the mine field towards the nest. The rest of the Combat Team and the best of the Defense Club were just to the outside of the mine field and behind them. Harry made first contact.

He did try diplomacy first. "Your numbers have grown too large, you are killing prey not meant for you. You must stop breeding and return to a lower population." The spider he was speaking to was about 20 meters away and was quickly joined by many more of the spiders. Laughter in some hissing clacking language came to the humans. Safety switches dropped. "How you accomplish your reduction in population is your matter, it must be done or we will do it for you. Will you do this?" Harry heard the snick of Hermione's M16 going live. The spiders began to advance. "Stop. I will not warn you again." Harry sounded bored, he was scared shitless. He reached back for his assault rifle and took it off safe. The closest spider was 10 meters and closing with sickening speed when the little bullets from the rifles blew its head apart. Harry and Hermione calmly moved back picking off those nearest them with bursts of three shots, covering for the other on reloads. The nest was emptying and a huge surge of black bodies was headed their way.

Harry and Hermione fell back, keeping the open space between 10 and 20 meters, moving backwards more quickly now. They were getting light on ammunition. "Dobby, Winky ammo please!" The elves popped in and buckled belts around the two gunners. Harry and Hermione were moving back much more rapidly now, one running 10 paces and covering while the other did the same. Ron gave the order as the flow from the nest slowed to a trickle. The Combat Team and Defense Club opened up from the flanks and rolled the edges of the spiders in under fire from the M60 machine guns and squads of M16 riflemen. The damn spiders were faster than anyone had thought and much more aggressive than anticipated, losing numbers seemed to enrage them, not intimidate them. Harry and Hermione were finally clear of the mines. Ron prayed and pressed, cursing like a madman. It rained spider parts for a good two minutes. A pack of a half dozen spiders were so close to Harry and Hermione that supporting fire wasn't possible, only prayer. The sword of Gryffindor flashed in the sun as Hermione lay to the side of Harry throwing blasting hexes into their underbellies. The Sword took the last head just as Hermione disemboweled the creature. She was directly in front of it.

They had successfully restored ecological balance and soiled their pants. Squad leaders called for the troops to safe arms. Everyone reloaded and safetied their weapons. A quick sweep was made of the area and any wounded spiders finished. Harry's eyes were really, really big and his hands shook. He cleaned the Sword of Gryffindor and sheathed it. Hermione was shaking, she couldn't stop. "DAMN YOU POTTER, RUN WHEN I SAY RUN!" She hit him open handed on the face and collapsed crying on his shoulder. He held her like a lifeline. The others left them alone for a bit.

"Is it always going to be this way Harry? Will it always be the screaming edge of nothing for us?" She felt him shake his head no. "Last Riddle fight was cake to this Mione. We need more practice at this stuff. I feel like some Arithmancy, some nice sane numbers with be very calming." "You think your so sneaky tempting me with my favorite subject. I will let it work today, but don't expect it to work the next time this happens. Because the next time this won't happen."

They walked from the scene, arm in arm toward their home, the castle Hogwarts. Hagrid was crying like crazy in his hut. They stopped and assured him it was done. Some were left, most were gone and the spiders had a loud clear message. He nodded, good man that he was, sorry for the loss of the lives of "interesting creatures."

"Shower and library? I want to look at that killing curse equation again." "I swear Harry you must have that memorized by now." "I have, I just want to try some substitutions and see the effect." "Where are you in the Arithmancy revising?" "I'm ready for the second year notes and text." She stopped and kissed him with fierce passion. Harry's Hermione got hot about learning, something he was both amused and enthralled by.

They met in the library and bent their heads over the books, the smell of cordite still hanging around them. "So we know that intent is required for the AK to work. You must want to kill, where in the equation is that clause?" "Hmm, I honestly don't know. Lets zero out each clause until we get a zero power result and then work on that clause." They scribbled away and then switched papers to compare results and check work. "None of them go to zero Mione." She looked off into space for a while. "It could be that there is a threshold attachment figure, the power of the attachment of the soul to the body, until the power of the killing curse gets higher than that figure driven by intent, the curse won't kill." She paused a moment. "Or our assumption is flawed, the curse doesn't sever the soul body connection, it actually does something else." "Well let's test it." She nodded. "But how?" "We would need to AK something alive but without a soul. If that being was unaffected then it's the soul/body connection, correct?" "Whats alive without a soul?" "Someone kissed by a Dementor." "Uck. We can't do that." "Maybe it's been tried, I could see someone wanting to kill the husk." After the spiders they had looked forward to the clean logic of symbols and numbers but this felt horrid, like diving in filth.

"Lets work on something else, this is sick." Harry nodded vigorously. "How about we try to design a shield for the AK?" "Much better. How do you think we should start?" "Well let's see how Protego works." They found the Arithmatic formula for the spell and studied it. Hermione started working on some calculations, varying the power input in steps and studying the resultant shield strength. She found that there was a diminishing return. Even with infinite power the shield would only become about half again stronger than what a strong wizard could cast. She needed a formula that was either linear or logarithmic in the opposite direction, so that when a certain power level was reached the shield became infinitely strong. She also needed it to be useless to Dark Magic users. The were deep in a book called "The Symbology of Emotions" looking for an Arithmatic formula for love or murderous intent and finding nothing. The whole thing was too big and slippery, getting a part of the problem to hold still was impossible at their level of knowledge.

They were well and truly stuck. They neatened their notes and went in search of Professor Vector. She was in her quarters and was happy to meet with them in an hour. The three of them had a long discussion. Harry and Hermione were happy to find out that they weren't being dense they just hadn't learned enough. Their line of reasoning hadn't been used before. Professor Vector promised to write to some colleagues and ask for some reading recommendations as well as to ask Dumbledore whose understanding of magic was intuitive and rarely wrong.

The Professor quizzed Harry over the revision of the first year work and found him with a good understanding of it and approving his moving on to last years work. "At this rate Mr. Potter you will be current before Christmas, well done I must say. I didn't expect you to put this amount of effort into your classes based on what I had heard to date." "Thank you ma'am, I had a change of heart over the summer." Harry glanced at Hermione causing a quick smirk to flash across Professor Vector's face. "That can often happen young man. You are to be congratulated." "I think so to ma'am."

Harry held Hermione's hand as they strolled along the stone corridors, the paintings waving occasionally. One of Harry's secret hobbies was to talk to the paintings. They almost always had interesting stories of life at Hogwarts. Many had seen the Marauders in action. They would give Harry and Hermione a warning that Filtch was on the prowl, helping them to avoid the odious caretaker. Harry plinked the suits of armor as they passed getting the random "Oi! Stop that Harry." Hermione would laugh and the creaky rusty giggle of a suit of armor was always fun to hear. The tin suits had a passion for fart jokes and Harry had a huge collection. A few were funny, most were just boy humor. It was a pleasant weekend afternoon with a bit of down time the couple seriously needed.

"Harry what should we do with the Finger of Fate?" Potter winced at the memory of the box containing the finger of one Barty Crouch complete with ring that did bad things to Albus Dumbledore. "How about we get McGonagal and Flitwick and go see the Headmaster with the Finger? They can keep an eye on him." She nodded so they strolled to Gryffindor tower to retrieve the grisly item and collect their backup. McGonagal was amenable, as was Flitwick, the merry band made their way to the Headmaster's quarters. Hermione explained Dumbledore's odd behavior the day they found the ring, that they had stunned him to stop him, that they had taken the ring and hidden it until now. Both teachers were more than a little upset at the idea of students stunning the Headmaster. Massive point deductions were taken and a month of detentions were scheduled. The couple sulked the rest of the way while McGonagal fumed at their impertinence.

The door to the Headmaster's office slid open. Albus was at his desk reading, Fawkes beside him, preening his feathers. "To what do I owe this pleasure? Lemon drop?" Albus waved them to seats. Hermione, still fuming about the massive loss of Gryffindor points was blunt. "Professor we have the ring that Crouch was wearing with us. We have asked Professors McGonagal and Flitwick to ensure the safety of us all while we examine it. Before we show you it, will you be able to control yourself?" Dumbledore's face was blank as he regarded her. "Yes I hope so Miss Granger. I am not proud of my reaction on seeing that ring the first time. I think I have hardened my will sufficiently to examine it. You were wise to bring assistance. Let us now examine this famous ring." Harry reached into his robe and brought out the box. Hermione lifted her stasis and protection charms. The dead ring finger of Barty Crouch rolled onto the Headmaster's desk.

Fakes gave a piercing cry and vanished. Flitwick vanished the finger somewhat lessening the horror of the scene. Albus sat far back in his chair, his face blank and white. Minerva watched him with concern, her wand at her side. "Albus please speak to us, I do not care for your expression, I require reassurance of your welfare before we continue." The Headmaster shook a bit and seemed to come back to himself. "I am as well as can be expected Minerva. The ring is one of the Deathly Hallows. It has the power to recall the dead into the world of the living. There are those who have passed to whom I most desperately wish to speak. This can not be, but the pull is very strong. I have done great wrong and have much to atone for. I would seek forgiveness." Dumbledore almost didn't seem to recognize that they were in the room. He stared at the ring, eyes glowing. He raised his wand and cast several revealing spells. Flitwick watched, his wand between the ring and his Headmaster.

The last casting by Dumbledore caused the ring to be surrounded by a black smoke. The ring quivered slightly. "The ring has been altered. It is not only a Hallow now, but also something else. It has been charmed with a compulsion to wear it and a curse of extraordinary power triggered by resistance to it's secondary function. Filius, will you please remove the compulsion?" Flitwick murmured and swished his wand, frowned and tried again, and then again before he sighed and nodded. They all felt the tension in the room drop considerably.

Dumbledore stood. "I will be in the corridor, I require a moment with Fawkes, I must know why he left so abruptly. The ever impatient Hermione asked Flitwick and McGonagal "What do you think it is Professors?" "I had thought the Hallows were myth, but it seems that I was mistaken. If Albus is correct then that is the Ring of Remembrance. The other Hallows are the Cloak of Invisibility and the Elder Wand, or Deathstick. The Elder Wand is an unbeatable wand, more powerful than any other. The Cloak of Invisibility is supposedly a true cloak of invisibility, never failing, hiding anyone under it perfectly, never wearing out. There have been rumors of the Elder Wand for hundreds of years, the Cloak no one knows about. The sign of the Deathly Hallows is carved on the stone of that ring. I don't know it's function as modified by He Who Must Not Be Named." Flitwick nodded agreement. "Minerva has said all that I know as well. Let us hear what wisdom Fakes has for us."

They looked around as the Headmaster entered the room. "Fawkes will not enter while the ring is here. He hates it, it is something so dark he can't tell me what it is exactly. I get the impression of a soul trap. Dumbledore looked pale, almost frightened. He cast a spell and the ring glowed green. Harry felt his head split open and fell to the floor screaming, glowing green. Hermione was by his side instantly holding his head, stroking his forehead, murmuring to him. McGonagall and Flitwick stared at Dumbledore with ashen faces. The Headmaster stood shaking. "God damn you Tom Riddle." was all he said. He sent a Patronus for Madam Pomfrey.

Harry struggled to remain aware. His head was splitting and something was moving in him, restless and angry. He wanted to curse someone, torture, kill. He was making animal noises, growls and hissing. His hand crept to his wand. Only Hermione's touch and voice held him from the darkness and only just. He felt the Headmaster enter his mind, a gentle strong kind presence and hated him. He tried to throw the old fool from his mind. Albus was too strong. _"Harry remember who you are. The young woman you love holds you and needs you. This is not you, there is a bit of Voldemort in your mind, you must fight to contain him. Remember Hermione, and Sirius, and __Remus, and Ron, the Weasleys, remember all the people who love you as do I."_ Harry fought, he gathered his will and pushed against the rage and hate that filled him. He remembered kissing Hermione and could feel her hand on his scar, drawing pain from him, he remembered Ron, his easy companionship. He remembered the Combat Team and how hard they had worked to be able to fight just this enemy. He came back to himself.

Madam Pomfrey was beside him with the inevitable beaker of foul smelling potion. He winked at her and tipped it back, shuddering at the taste. "I swear Madam Pomfrey one of those is going to taste bad enough to kill me." The nurse hid her smile and barked "Serves you right with the foolishness you get up to young man. You need to rest for at least a day, your symptoms are much like an extended session of Crucio." She packed her kit and left the room. Harry looking into the worried loving eyes of Hermione and smiled. "Allright Mione?" Her eyes glistened a bit. "You stop scarring me Potter, you hear me? Enough."

Harry sat up slowly and wobbled to a chair. "So what have we learned Professors? Is what you said in my mind true Headmaster?" Albus nodded gravely. "All of what I said in your mind it true Harry. You contain a portion of Voldemort's soul as does this ring. Such a thing is know as a Horucrux. The physical object holding the portion of the soul must be destroyed in order for the soul fragment to be released. With the ring there is no problem due to your adventure in the Chamber of Secrets when you imbued the Sword of Gryffindor with the venom of a basilisk."

Dumbledore turned to the case holding the Sword, and picked up the blade. "Filius, Minerva, be prepared to cast a spell of exorcism, the soul fragment may try to linger, especially with the fragment in Harry." Dumbledore conjured a block of wood and levitated the ring onto it. At the nod of the other Professors he swung the sword over his head and brought it crashing through the ring, splitting it in half. A swirling black cloud formed and sparked, seeming to hunt for something. It began to drift to Harry who cried out, grabbing his scar. The Professors cast the exorcism spell and the cloud faded and was gone. Harry slumped back into Hermione's arms, damp with cold sweat and shivers as she held him.

"We know now how Voldemort's life is tied to this world despite his repeatedly losing his body. He has made several Horucrux. We know of the diary, the ring and Harry. I suspect there may be more. I shall have to find them. We shall have to find a way to remove the soul fragment from Harry. The most obvious way is to kill him." Hermione shot to her feet. She didn't say a word. "We will find another way if possible, however we must consider that to defeat Riddle it may be that Harry must die." Everyone but Hermione seemed to shrink into themselves.

"Actually Headmaster, that way might work. Muggles are able to bring people back who have died quite often with some of their machinery. People dead as long as twenty minutes have been brought back with no permanent ill effects." Dumbledore looked at her for several seconds. "You never fail to surprise me Miss Granger. May I ask you to research this idea and let us know the chance Harry would survive?" Hermione nodded, stroking Harry's cold forehead. "Filius, you and I shall study the prospect of an exorcism. We shall have to modify the ritual somewhat as we are withdrawing a soul fragment not a demon, but perhaps it is possible. We shall also need a wide area Horucrux detection spell. A range of several miles would be preferable. Let us get to our tasks then. A most informative and productive afternoon."

Harry and Hermione headed off into the castle. Hermione called "Dobby?" The little elf answered from their left rear "Yes Mistress?" Harry and Hermione turned and smiled at him as he canceled his disillusionment charm. Hermione hugged him and kissed his cheek. "You are such a wonderful friend Dobby, thank you. I want to take Harry someplace quiet for the rest of the day. You and Winky are welcome, is there anywhere we can go?" Dobby danced happily "Follow me Mistress." He bounced along the corridors to the seventh floor, calling Winky to join them on the way and stopped across from the painting of Barnabas the Barmy attempting to teach trolls ballet. This was one of Harry's favorite paintings to talk to. They were starting to figure odds on the Quidditch cup when Hermione pulled him into the Room of Requirement. Dobby had called up a beautiful suite with small pool or huge bath, a cheerful fire, a bookshelf stuffed with all the books they had wanted to read and hadn't had the chance, a dining table set for four, and two bedrooms off to the side.

The two couples chattered about mutual friends and gossip, went and changed into swim suits and filled the tub/pool with bubble bath and started the water jets. Dobby and Winky announced they were going to become life mates in a few months. The conversation got a bit awkward as Harry and Hermione tried to show some cultural sensitivity while still trying to get invited to the ceremony if possible. Once all the stumbling half sentences and mumbles were out of the way they were enthusiastically invited to the joining. The elves were over the moon about one another and really excited to have humans at their joining. Neither elf could remember humans at a joining before. The humans were excited for them and asked endless questions so as to be able to behave correctly and not embarrass their hosts. Hermione declared she was pruning up and went to dry off and change in one of the bedrooms.

Harry waited like a gentleman while Winky and Dobby pried at him about when he would have his joining. Harry was all blushes and mumbles again, but the elves were merciless, so Harry told them he planned on proposing on his seventeenth birthday. Winky advised him to take some firm steps in the meantime. "Mistress is very beautiful, men notice now, make sure all know you and she are one. She will be happier." Harry thought that elves were way underestimated by the wizarding world.

Harry took his chance to change and quickly returned to the main room to curl on the couch with Hermione and the elves. Hermione was already in a book, and Harry was choosing one. "Do you read Dobby?" "No Master, elves are not allowed to read human books." Hermione's head snapped up, the light of battle in her eyes. Harry put a hand on her arm, holding back the avalanche for a moment. "Are you allowed to read elven books Dobby?" Dobby nodded as did Winky. "If you would like we can teach you to read human books and you can teach us to read elven books. Is that permitted?" "We can teach you to read our books Master, but elves are not permitted to read human books." At this point the avalanche broke free and roared down the mountainside.

"Who says elves can not read human books Dobby?" Hermione's foot was tapping, she was fuming. "Mistress, elves are bound to humans, part of that binding is to acquire no human knowledge." The Granger was not about to hear any more non information about the infamously vague binding. She wanted the details. She decided the quickest way to get her details was to learn elvish and read what elves knew of the binding. Pretty quickly she had an elvish primer in front of her and Dobby and Winky helping her with the runes and simple words and phrases. She picked it up remarkably fast, even considering her massive intellect. "Harry these runes are very similar to some of the oldest runes I have studied, pre Egyptian, pre Sumerian. Look at them, how beautiful and graceful they are, not at all like the runes that evolved from pictographs. Harry looked up from his latest Nebula Award Winner and said "Umm Humm". She huffed and dove back in.

Harry called a break by asking for some dinner to be brought to them by Hogwarts elves. Dobby and Winky almost had heart attacks, but Harry insisted they were guests and would be treated as such. They were very uncomfortable until Harry explained to the staff elves that he had asked that they be his guests, it was not their idea, nor were they putting on airs. The temperature in the room rose several degrees at that point. Everyone serving was invited to the meal as well and the discussion became general about elven knowledge of the binding. An old elf, the leader of the Hogwarts elves joined the table as the talk continued. Hermione showed the elves examples of the runes she thought resembled elvish runes. Ronsor, the eldest elf, promised to contact other elves known for their wisdom with an example of the runes Hermione provided and to ask for whatever details they had of the binding. He had questioned her closely to determine that she just sought knowledge, not to change anything without the consent of the elves. Hermione apologized for the hats. She begged to be taught, and told Ronsor that she wanted good treatment for elves, no abuse, no punishment, but that she agreed she didn't understand the situation. The elves were still upset about the hats. Dobby finally was able to get them to let it go for the present.

Eventually Hermione found Harry sleeping with his head in his hand, propped on the table. The discussion wound down. Hermione nudged him awake and headed him off to the bedroom, while their guests cleared the leftovers from the feast/discussion away. The humans wished the elves good evening and closed their bedroom door. Hermione and Harry worked quickly locking and silencing. They changed into their nightclothes and slipped under the covers, eager for the sleep they only got together. A kiss and a cuddle later they were asleep.


	18. Chapter 17 Intent to Love

Harry was thinking of the few little things he had to worry about. A bit of Tom Riddle's soul in him. Tom Riddle's soul looking for another body to inhabit. Scattered bits of Tom Riddle hidden about. He needed to get rid of some of his Riddle worries. Then he could concentrate on getting some Hermione worries. He wanted more of those. Worry about snogging time and what was next for them. The one Riddle bit he knew how to locate was always with him.

"Mione?" "Humm?" "Crouch used the ring to call the main part of Riddle's soul right? Or was that just the fragment from the ring?" "I don't know Harry." She was worried and suspicious now. "What are you thinking?" This was bad, she had that look. "I was wondering if we could kind of call the main part and trap it in a like a Horucrux to make sure it can't get into a body." "Umm Hmm. Using the part in your head to call it I assume Mr. Genius?" Yes this was bad. Harry shrugged a shoulder a little to play it off as a random idea. "Yeah well it seems like we can't get anywhere and it would be nice to have him locked up till we can finish him."

"Harry love, you are thinking about this the wrong way. Your thinking like a Dark Wizard. Your power is love, not Horucrux's and locking souls away. Does this honestly feel right to you or are you bored?"

"Not bored so much as tired of it. I want it over." "Did we ever look at the books from Godric's Hollow Harry?" They looked at one another, thinking along the same lines. The only one to ever shield someone from the killing curse had been Lily Potter. How had she done it? Hadn't there been a journal of some sort in the things? "Dobby?" The elf appeared at his elbow. "I am getting the things from Godric's Hollow Master Harry?" "Yes please, meet us at the Room of Requirement, if Winky isn't busy maybe we can all study there?" Dobby grinned and popped away.

The four of them sat around the study table, Dobby and Winky working on their reading, Harry and Hermione going through the papers from the Hollow. Harry saw the Potter Grimmore again and set that aside. He was sure that had been in Grimmauld Place, but whatever. Hermione handed Harry a black leather bound book with a lily on the cover. Harry could open it, but Hermione couldn't. The inside was blank. He tapped the surface with his wand "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Writing appeared in Harry's mothers clear and neat script. "_Mr. Prongs is advised to keep out of my professional journal."_ The message faded. Harry gulped and picked up a quill. He wrote _"It's Harry, your son."_ The journal was blank a long time. _"Put a drop of your blood on the page Harry."_ Hermione looked at him. "Harry.. think." "I am Mione, it's my mum, she wouldn't hurt me, ever." "No Harry she wouldn't IF it is her and not a trap." "Scan it Hermione. See if there is any dark in it." Hermione's wand wove over the journal, it was deeply magical, and not the least bit dark. Slowly she nodded her head. Harry pulled out his pocket knife and sliced a finger, dropping blood on the page. Hermione healed him up quickly. She hated him bleeding. They waited for a long time. _"Where is James?" "Mum, you both died protecting me when I was 15 months, on Halloween night, almost fourteen years ago. I survived a killing curse from Lord Voldemort. He's come back a few times and we need to know how you warded me. We need to know how to use love to stop the __killing curse."_

The pause was even longer.

"_Oh Harry thank God it worked. I wasn't sure. Severus said it was impossible, but I knew. The Potter Grimmore uses love often. Study that book my dear, it will help save you. Are you happy Harry? Where are you?"_

"_Yes mum, I'm fine, I have a brilliant and beautiful girlfriend and two elven friends Dobby and Winky here with me now. I have Ron and the Weasleys and Sirius and Remus, Neville and Luna, I love them all especially my Hermione. We are at Hogwarts now, in our fifth year. Voldemort has come back twice this year but we have disembodied him both times pretty fast. We have_ _been lucky so far."_

"_Are you and Hermione serious my Harry?"_

"_As serious as can be mum"_

"_Please ask her to put some of her blood on this page."_

Hermione was already reaching for Harry's knife. He healed her.

"_You do love him don't you Hermione dear? It's in the blood. I have opened my work for the two of you to review and hopefully finish. I was close but didn't have time before he came for us. The part of me in this book is limited like a painting." _

"_Horucrux are what Voldemort is using mum, thats how he stays alive, we've destroyed 2 so far, there is one in me, and we think 3 more to find."_

"_One in you? Oh my baby, something must have gone very wrong, I am so sorry." _

"_Mum, it's fine, we are working on it. There is muggle medicine that can bring people back after even as long as twenty minutes, plenty of time to get rid of that filth. Hermione is brilliant, as smart as you or smarter the teachers say. She can figure out anything, so don't worry."_

"_Harry dear let me speak to your Hermione, please study the Potter Grimmore. I love you and hope to hear from you soon." "I love you too mum."_

Harry sat for a long time, quiet tears flowing. He had talked to his mum finally. Not fully, not face to face, but it was something. He knew he would be writing in that journal every day for the rest of his life. The Potter Grimmore was in front of him. Massive, bound in white leather with a design of swords and lilys entwined around the edges. He began at the beginning as that is the best place to begin. A few of the spells he recognized, done a bit differently. He tried the Potter version of Protego and could see it was a good strong shield even though he hadn't pushed it hard. He read on, quickly, skimming. There was a huge section on DADA and he skipped ahead to that. What he read was puzzling, almost like they were talking about another subject. It didn't seem related to DADA. There was nothing dark about the spells, they just didn't seem relevant to DADA. It was like opening a kung fu training manual and finding gardening tips.

He began again at the beginning. Hermione was scratching frantically away in his mum's journal. Harry plowed on through the early entries. Some of the language was old English or Latin. He didn't understand either well. He had to interrupt Hermione to remind him of a translation spell. Hermione checked with his mum who said it should work fine. Once Hermione had cast the spell to translated and modernized the languages Harry went back to studying. The spells still didn't seem relevant to magical combat.

He closed the book and laid his hand on the cover. He pushed his magic into his hand, imagined it flowing into the book. "I am Harry James Potter, son of James Potter, son of Lily Potter." The book flashed white and the lilys on the cover faded from view.

Harry opened it again. Now it made sense. It seemed to be picking up right where he needed as well. He began to read a section on how to increase his magical endurance with the power of love. He tried the incantation and felt a big surge in his magical core. He cast the incantation on Hermione who squealed, jumped, then grinned nodding before returning to her conversation.

There was a ritual they could preform that would link their magical cores to the ambient magic of the earth, that would have to be done as soon as possible. He read about integrated defenses, overlapping shields, and overpowered shields. There was a theory of shields using the energy of the attacking curses to become stronger. He read about not only group tactics but group spells that had much more power than those cast by individuals. He read about enhanced agility spells and potions that would cause clothing to repel curses and hexes. He read of a whole new group of combat spells whose incantations were single syllables and could be cast incredibly quickly. He read how to create an artifact that ensured he wasn't portkeyed or apparated against his will. He had to do that right away, if there was one thing he hated it was being ported against his will. It had never been a good experience.

Harry dug some galleons from his pocket and transformed them to simple gold rings. He performed the incantations and then studied the ring to see if he could detect any difference. It seemed to be a simple band. Harry tried the incantations a few more times, but could detect nothing in the rings.

Taking a break he handed the ring to Dobby and asked him to add an elven charm that would take the wearer to the Retreat. Dobby held it and muttered a bit then handed it back with a smile and nod. "Master Harry need only say "Retreat" and you will go there." "Cheers Dobby!" His friend blushed and nodded, going back to his lessons. Hermione was lost in Lily's work journal writing to her often with questions. She was muttering to herself an ink smear on her cheek totally absorbed and lovely.

Harry cast the incantations for the portkey and apparition blocking again while concentrating on his feelings for Hermione and pushing those feelings into the charms. This time the ring glowed deeply gold for a minute before becoming plain again. He spent a little time doodling a design on the ring, a pair of lion heads, books between them and vines flowing around joined hearts. The ring now felt massively magical. He made one for each of the Combat Team and had Dobby do his part. For each team member he used his love for that person as a power source for the incantations, each ring glowed for a bit then returned to normal, he created different designs on them while thinking of his friends. Ron's had chessmen and broomsticks engraved, Ginny's had flames and flowers, Luna's had unicorns and stars, Neville's had his family crest and the Auror Corp sigil. The twins were identical with jesters masks and beater bats. Dobby's had socks and hearts, and Winky's had aprons and hearts. He struggled to make one for himself. He gave up trying to use the power of his love for himself and thought of all of the Team, and the Headmaster, the Marauders, his mum, Dobby and Winky and used that love to power the incantation for the last one. Dobby charmed it and Harry carefully worked in bits of all the other motifs in the design. He cast a last charm on them all that detected Dark Marks. That charm was one of the last in the book, in his mothers writing. He put his ring on.

Harry picked up Hermione's ring tapped on her shoulder. "Mione?" "Humm?" "I need your whole attention for a minute love." She looked at him, her eyes twitching back to the journal every few seconds. "What is it Harry? I am pretty busy right now, so if it can wait that would be better." "I don't think it should wait Mione." She gave a frustrated sigh and turned fully to him. "I would like you to have this ring. I made it to keep you safe. I want you to wear it always. It prevents apparition or porting from working without your willing agreement. Now I want you to stop working, have something to eat, and make goo goo eyes with me." He flicked his eyes to Dobby, Harry's eyes were bugged out and desperate. Dobby grinned and popped away followed closely by Winky. In seconds the room transformed into an intimate parlor with a small table for four, candles lit, music playing, and iced champagne by the table. There was a small dance floor.

He imagined her as she looked coming into the Great Hall on Victor's arm, so beautiful. He pushed that image into his magic and flicked his wand. He imagined himself in a muggle tuxedo and flicked again. He dared to look at her.

She was even more beautiful than at the Yule Ball. She was regarding him with beetled brow a glint in her eye. "Pretty slick Potter. Was this planned?" Harry knew he was busted. "Um not really, I just wanted some special time for us, the four of us. She was silent a long second while flowers and the first course appeared on the table. She huffed. She never could stand the puppy dog eyes. "You need to work on the timing thing but otherwise, very nice recovery. May I see the ring?"

Harry sagged in relief. He chattered happily about the charms on it and that it would take her to the Retreat on her say so. "Oh and we can go to the Potter vault and see if there is a special stone you would like. There may be one there that would help you stay safe. I need you as safe as can be. I can barely stand to be away from you. I hate not sleeping with you. I miss you all the time when I can't see you. It's sick." She shoved him. "Sick is it? SICK?" He nodded firmly "Yes I should be all worried about Riddle, or Snape, or NEWTs but all I can think of is you, the way firelight looks on your neck while your reading in the common room. Your laugh. Kiss me you fool!" It was the elvish sniggering in the corner that put her over the edge. She grabbed his tux lapels and snogged him breathless. "Very close call Potter. If those delinquents hadn't laughed I might have turned you into a toad."

"Would my lady care for food or dance?" "You sir are making assumptions. You will be required in the future to put a bit more forethought into the romantic aspects of our relationship." His heart sank. Word in the boys dorm was once it was called a relationship nothing good came after. He nodded glumly. She whapped him upside the head. They stood and moved to the dance floor. A soft waltz was playing. Harry never lifted his feet carefully following her lead. There would be no toes crunched tonight. Hermione huffed again lifted the edge of her skirts and cast a spell at her shoes. "Steel toes Potter, now dance." Dobby and Winky joined them in dancing. They elves waltzed well together.

They whirled and glided, lost in the movement, with eyes only for one another. The flex and power of her body was delicious under the formal dress, he found it very erotic. She felt his total concentration on her, on how she moved and looked. She floated in his desire. A soft glow formed around them as they danced. They danced on, switching lead and learning one another. The glow was intense now, and pulsed in time to their hearts. He bent to her, lips brushing lightly together. "I so love you Hermione." They finished the song. The music paused and they kissed for what seemed to be forever, with true deep passion feeling complete. They parted at last, each with a trembling smile. Holding hands they walked to the dinner table.

Harry held her chair, then sat himself. She looked at the ring and slipped it on. "I don't think it needs a stone. I had no idea you could do this kind of thing Harry." He shrugged. "I didn't know either, first time I've tried it, it was a lot of fun, I think I might have a hobby. I'd still like to see if there is a stone that would help keep you safe. What did mum have to say?"

They were soon in a deep discussion of Lily's work, Harry trying to catch the meanings as Hermione sprinted ahead to the next ideas she wanted to talk to Lily about. "She is so brilliant Harry it's frightening. She was working on a new method of using magic basically, we have been wandering around the edges, but she has gotten much further. Thank Merlin she is here so I can ask her about her work, it would take months to get done what we did today." Harry talked about the ritual to draw ambient magical energy to refilling their cores. Dobby and Winky said elves were able to draw ambient energy when they were bound to a wizard or witch. Hermione started to go into scholar mode again and made a twitch towards Lily's journal. "Mione, please lets finish dinner before we go back to work." She blushed. The four friends chatted happily, ate everything on the table and got a little tipsy on the champagne. Winky abstained as she was scared of getting caught up again.

After dinner Harry asked Dobby to get the Combat Team to the Room so they all could do the ambient power ritual. Pretty quickly the team was assembled teasing Harry and Hermione about the clothes they were wearing. Harry gave them the rings which stopped the teasing. These were extremely valuable artifacts now and hand made by their friend.

When Harry performed the core augmentation incantation on them the questions started. Everyone wanted to know where he had learned these charms. He told them that the Potters had some family spells that he was using. Neville nodded and said that a lot of the old families had private magic. Nev said he would look through the Longbottom's library and see if there was anything they could use. The Weasleys were in a frenzy to go floo Arthur right away. They reviewed the ritual to allow access to ambient magic and performed it once for each of them. Harry insisted on Dobby and Winky having the ritual performed for them. They didn't notice any difference but were happy to join in.

Hermione asked the Room to change to a small dance club. They got busy transforming clothes to tuxedos and ball gowns. The boys relaxed when Hermione put the steel toe charm on the ladies shoes. Fred and George disappeared for bit and returned with Angelina and Katie. Soon the strains of a waltz filled the room and the couples glided and swirled. It was very late when the dancing stopped and the elves popped almost everyone back to their respective common rooms. Last to leave were Ron and Luna. They had become oblivious to anyone else during the dancing. Ron gathered his Gryffindor courage. "Luna, would you consider being my girlfriend? Could we try dating? I really like you even if I don't understand you, I like you a lot." Luna looked at him very seriously for a long time. "Ronald you really must relax. I suspect the Nargles have been pestering you haven't they?" Ron thought it best to agree. "Well there is only one sure cure for a Nargle infestation." She slipped her arms around his waist, stood on her tiptoes and kissed him very gently. Ron's arms cinched her in. "Are you sure they are gone?" She smiled. "Fairly, but prevention is always a good idea." Ron nodded seriously. It was some time before Dobby could get them to their common rooms.


	19. Chapter 18 Halloween Brawl

As the weeks went by the years pattern formed. The boys and men would gather at Hagrid's on Sunday afternoons and the ladies would gather in the Room of Requirement for social time. Harry made rings for Sirius, Remus and Hagrid, and did the Potter core augmentation charm as well as the ambient magic ritual. Hagrid started to train with them in defense. He had gotten a new wand and was working on revising his classes to complete his OWLS and NEWTS. It turned out that he was like Neville, talented but with confidence problems. Seeing Hagrid reach beyond himself for what he had always wanted was a Patronus worthy sight. Watching Snape teach Hagrid was always fun for the class that Hagrid attended. Snape didn't dare be to acerbic, Hagrid wouldn't stand for it.

Gradually Snape's teaching methods improved as did his impartiality. He wasn't happy about it but he did it. At first he would be snide, snarky and mean when helping non Slytherins, but slowly he lost the viciousness that had marked him and became more entertaining. Few outside Slytherin would admit it but a good Snapely put down was an admired art form. It could be born when administered evenly and with cause. Neville began to do better in potions. His self esteem, always his cross, was bolstered by his amazing progress in defense, his excellence in herbology and his new supportive friends.

The weekend of Halloween was a Hogsmeade weekend. The Combat Team had their usual training in the morning then split into couples for the day. Harry had made rings for Angelina and Katie as well as doing the core augmentation and ambient magic ritual. They were training now with the advanced classes and with the Combat Team. As the students lined up to get checked by Filtch and allowed into Hogsmeade there was a definite sense of celebration. Harry had been working hard and was ready for a good break. He and Hermione strolled into the town intent on nothing more than some light shopping and The Three Broomsticks.

The first stop was, of course, the bookstore. Hermione cruised through the aisles browsing and humming to herself. She was always excited and happy in a bookstore. Harry spent some time in the DADA section and the Quidditch section. He got the latest Quidditch magazines "for Ron" and wandered the Arithmancy section. He was almost done with revising the previous year and was starting to really understand the current lessons. A relief from the helplessly confused feeling he had at the start of the year. He got himself a book that he hoped would help in his work on deconstructing the killing curse, a project he had yet to give up. They wandered into a clothes store that stocked muggle items and came out with some new jeans, Harry had a black turtleneck and a new sweater Hermione insisted he get. She thought the color set off his eyes. It embarrassed and pleased him when she cooed. She got a few tops and a new skirt which Harry insisted on buying.

Honeydukes was next, for chocolate stores replenishment, then off to The Three Broomsticks for a bite and some butterbeer. They were just settling into a booth when their rings got warm, the warning for Death Eaters nearby. Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and they ran out the door into a growing sense of cold and despair. "Dementors! Bloody hell what are they doing here?" Harry whipped his head around looking for the shades. "There! Over by the train station!" Hermione had seen them first, a mass of them, well over fifty were drifting down to the street level and headed towards people in the area. Harry and Hermione lifted their wands and cast together, hands still clasped "Expeto Patronum". A huge lion sprang out from their wands and streaked towards the Dementors. Other Combat Team members moved towards the train station casting their Patronuses. Neville called the Team to form on him and they did with practiced ease as their Patroni chased the Dementors from that end of the village. The creatures fell back into the forest.

The sense of unease, despair and cold didn't leave although it lessened for a bit. Their rings got warmer. Neville called for a defensive position and the Team moved to the center of the village, conjuring blocks of marble to break up any incoming spell fire.

"Why didn't the Dementors leave Harry?" "Don't know Nev, they always do if you run them off once. I don't like this new behavior, and there are Eaters around." Everyone was scanning the streets looking for the next threat. The students were clearing the streets, headed for school and out of immediate harms way. "Ron! Whats next?" "They are regrouping after that feint. I think two groups, from two directions, first a wave of Dementors then Death Eaters." Nev gave the orders. "Alright you lot, Harry and Hermione will be reserve, guys take the Death Eaters, girls the Dementors then shields if we need them, call your targets, four to a team, put them down hard, no stunners." "Aye Nev."

Harry could see one Dementor at extreme range, watching. "Soon" he murmured and squeezed Hermione's hand. She returned the pressure. The streets were empty except for the Combat Team. Harry could see some students sprinting up the road to the school, help would come. They just needed to hold the line until the Aurors and the teachers could get here, keep the enemy occupied and away from anyone trapped in the buildings and houses.

Just as Ron had predicted they came from two sides. Harry cast a series of the one syllable blasting hexes at a group of Death Eaters that chewed through their shields hitting a few, the other boys on that side slicing up some more Eaters. He thought of his Hermione and cast his Patronus. This time it was his familiar stag, and charged into the Dementors on his side.

A lone Dementor moved towards Harry. He directed Prongs to attack it but Prongs was swept aside. Harry stood shocked. Prongs had never failed him. Overwhelming despair gripped him, the other Dementors had been swept away by the girls, defeated. Harry cast again, Prongs jumped out and charged the lone Dementor only to be crushed again. "Hermione! We need to cast it together! He gripped her hand, his mind awash in the terrible sound of his mother dying. They raised their wands and his scar burst into massive pain. Blood spurted from his scar and he screamed, falling to the street in convulsions. This was worse than Crucio, this was worse than death, to hear his mother screams mingled with his, to feel Hermione's despair as he vomited. He felt his hand released by Hermione and she screamed something over him. He was only pain. He would let go, he would let go and be at ease. So simple really, just fade from his body. He would be at peace and Hermione would be here. Face to face with whatever was coming. Slowly, doing the hardest thing he had ever done, he stood. He couldn't let her stand alone, he had to protect her.

The Combat Team was in major trouble. That single Dementor was drifting closer as the whole team concentrated on it. Death Eaters were blowing away the protections offered by the marble blocks. The green flash of the killing curse crashed against stone blowing chunks of it away. Harry concentrated, taking Hermione's hand again, sending her his love, his hope and getting hers back. He opened up on the Death Eaters putting several down with a stream of one syllable reductos. Their shields blew apart under the concentrated fire and pieces of Death Eater spattered onto the street. The Death Eaters fell back abandoning their wounded. "Dobby! Get Dumbledore now! Winky get the other teachers and then get to the school both of you."

Harry fell again screaming as the elves popped out. _"I am here Potter, this time you will not find it so easy to be rid of me. I will suck the soul out of you. Your friends tire, soon the Patronus will be too difficult to cast and I will Kiss you." _

Oh bloody hell, he's taken over a Dementor. Harry felt another wave of despair crash over him. A Dementor possessed by Riddles soul. His mother was screaming again, getting louder and clearer. Harry felt himself slip away as the roar of battle mixed with the popping of apparition. Harry faded to black.

Hermione stood over Harry. He had screamed and dropped, she had to let go of him, he was moving, he was alive, she didn't know for how much longer. All the girls were concentrated on that one Dementor now. They could see the red slits of eyes under the hood. Patronus after Patronus charged the figure only to be brushed aside. Each casting held the Dementor for a bit. It couldn't advance against the barrage. Neville was raising holy hell with something behind her. She felt revived as Fawkes flamed into being, leaving Dumbledore in their midst, and circled over them, singing. The Death Eaters were either not moving or not in sight. The boys joined in casting their Patronus charms. That single Dementor stood against them. Dumbledore's phoenix Patronus charged the lone Dementor and it was finally pushed back a step.

Hermione screamed out "Combat Team join hands and cast at the same time, on three. Hands fumbled and found one another. On three they all screamed "Expecto Patronum" An enormous ball of golden light flashed at the lone Dementor and it was gone, along with the few surviving Death Eaters.

She gathered Harry into her arms, there was a pulse, just barely a pulse. "Dobby! Harry to the hospital wing NOW!" She never saw Dobby and couldn't really hear if it was just one crack or two, but Harry was gone. She vomited and went to her knees, wiping her mouth. She began to cry and shake, shaking harder and harder until she collapsed to the ground. Winky was with her and a flash later she was in the hospital. The beds were filling rapidly now. "Harry, how is Harry?" At first her voice was a whisper. She kept asking at increasing volume until she was screaming just his name over and over. People were trying to hold her, they were trying to keep her from him, she staggered around looking for him, he was two beds away, still, white. She stumbled towards him, almost blind with tears. Everyone within ten feet of her was shoved away, furniture hurled into the walls, Madam Pomfrey cast a shield charm to protect the other patients. Hermione got to his side, "not breathing, Great Merlin he's not breathing."

She tipped his head back and checked his airway, then climbed on the bed astraddle him. Something red flashed towards her and was reflected by a golden shield that sprang around the bed, Fawkes had arrived and had shielded her. She didn't hear the shouting, the screams. She began to compress his chest, stopping every ten strokes to breathe for him. No pulse, no breath. Around her the shouting got louder but Fawkes was with her and that meant she had hope. The phoenix was perched on the headboard singing and watching Harry. Slowly a dark shadow seeped from Harry's scar, formed into a snakelike shade and began to drift to Hermione. Fawkes gave a cry of rage and dove. The shade retreated back into Harry. Fawkes flamed into Harry's chest and her hands. She felt intense heat, but no pain, the fire passed and she felt cleansed, calmer. She leaned forward to give Harry a breath and saw his pulse, felt his chest lift. She toppled to his side. The phoenix chick rested over Harry's heart as she faded from reality.

There was an echoing silence in the aftermath of the pheonix magic. Madam Pomfrey rushed forward and checked Hermione first, she could see Harry breathing regularly and a steady pulse in his throat. Hermione had a pulse, thready and weak, but there. The matron levitated her into the closest bed and poured a few potions into her as she cast diagnostic spells. A healer from St. Mungo's bustled into the room and began triage on the other wounded, banishing all non wounded out of the ward. Two more healers showed up and soon the ward was in order and quiet.

Dumbledore edged his way through the door, gesturing vaguely at Fawkes. "Did we lose anyone Poppy?" She shook her head no. "Not permanently Albus. Mr. Potter was dead but Miss Granger and Fakes seemed to have taken care of that minor detail. Something happened that I don't understand. You will explain it to me so that I can take proper care of my patients won't you Headmaster?" It was not a question. The Headmaster agreed and slipped the new born Fawkes into a pocket of his robe. He asked to be informed when any of the injured were ready to talk and left for his quarters and some contemplation of the days events.

In Hogsmeade the Aurors were taking the tally and getting the story while other Ministry employees worked to repair battle damage assisted by the locals. The Aurors would report quite a few dead Death Eaters. Harry had accounted for at least half of them which wouldn't be a surprise to the Combat Team. It was more of a surprise who the Death Eaters were. They were all former residents of Azkaban. Not all of them had gone to prison as Death Eaters either. It seemed Voldemort had held a recruiting drive when he freed his Death Eaters. Some of the residents of Hogsmeade were suffering the aftereffects of a Dementor attack, some folks had been injured by spell fire and treated at the scene. A few locals were dead or kissed in the first attack. They had the misfortune to be near to the train station. No students had died.

Everyone was talking about the Combat Team defeating the initial feint, setting up a fort in the street then throwing the enemy back in bloody retreat or killing them where they stood. There was real horror in the tale of the one Dementor, the Dementor with the glowing red eyes. Those Death Eaters who had died were almost all from the ranks of the new recruits. The Dark Lord's Inner Circle knew better than to be in front in a fight. Thorfin Rowle an Inner Circle Death Eater was dead. He had been cut almost in half by Ginny Weasley. He was a huge man and a very powerful wizard, dangerous in a fight for his recklessness and lack of concern for anything but a body count. He had the misfortune to be in the front line and closest to Ginevra. It was his last mistake.

Bellatrix was free as were her husband and his brother, the Carrows, Dolohov, all the other psychotic murderers. The worst of the Dark Lords Death Eaters were loose along with a Dementor that didn't care about a Patronus. It was not a happy day for the Aurors. Word was they had lost ten Aurors on Azkaban Island when the Riddle Dementor had broken the prison and led the inmates against the guards. The Aurors finished their investigation and headed back to the Ministry to begin the actual reports. Tonks and Kingsley headed to the school to report to the Headmaster.

Harry lay in the infirmary remembering the pain, the horrible pain of his scar, and knowing that Riddle had really done something extraordinary this time. He drifted in darkness, feeling at peace, more at peace than maybe forever before. He didn't know yet that his curse, his little slice of Riddle had left him and then returned. The constant search for guilt to take on was over for him, at least for now. In a wash of phoenix fire he had been able to lay that burden down, he had been freed by the fire.

Fawkes had touched him burning, and had touched his Hermione also. He could feel her at the edge of his mind, she was asleep and worried. He sent her a pulse of love and felt her relax and slide into peace. He sent his awareness out into the surrounding space, and found spots of bright and dark. Here in this place there was mostly light, brilliant beacons in Fawkes, Dobby and Winky, a hooded light in Dumbledore, the many softly glowing candles of goodness and innocence that were the students. There were a few dark places and not all of the dark was in the Slytherin's dungeons. He felt the castle, old and immeasurably strong, he sensed Wormtail was present but hidden in his rat form, elusive as always. He found Sirius and reassured him that all was well with Hermione and Harry. Harry let all the Combat Team know they were alright, and felt some of the pressure in the castle lessen as word spread. There was so much of goodness here. For now here was all he cared about. He slipped deeper into the darkness after warding for Wormtail and warning the others.

Ron and Neville were talking quietly in the room where the Combat Team kept it's equipment. The rest of the Team sat around decompressing after Harry's brief message of reassurance. They had been to the edge and had survived. Their training had kept them alive. The surprise advantage they had due to their intensive training would quickly disappear, but the training wouldn't. They trusted the Sargent and their Nev. They fought as a unit, not as a street mob like the Death Eaters.

Ginny sat to the side. She had killed today, perhaps many times, her skill and speed pushing back the flank of the Death Eaters at least twice when Harry had broken their shields with his near constant stream of overcharged blasting hexes. She watched again as blood and bits of spine blew out of the back of the huge Death Eater. Even with her eyes open she could see it. Her hands quivered slightly. He had stumbled back and down, his eyes wide in pain and shock, going blank before his face tilted out of sight and he collapsed a pile of rags and meat, blond hair settling softly as he landed in the street. She had called her next target. No time. Tears welled slowly and dripped and she shook silently, quietly, crying for something that would never change now and innocence lost.

Neville slid onto the bench beside her, and held her on one side, while Ron wrapped her from the other. Neither spoke, there was little to say. She turned and clung to Neville, racked with sobs. Neville, strong quiet Neville, picked her up into his lap and rocked her like a child, whispering nonsense to her.

Ron stood then, looking down on them, glad for her and lonely. All of the Combat Team were changed. This was not a club and a friendly competition about being ready someday. Someday had been today and they had been ready. They were troops and this was war, a hard dirty war against a guerrilla enemy.

Luna slipped into his arms, swaying softly with him and humming a quiet pretty melody. He had seen her fight, a whirl of dirty blond hair and hexes. She had been tireless and merciless. She had called her targets and taken them down faster than the others could come to support her. She used magic almost without effort, fluid. She had danced through that first volley of killing curses while Harry was down and screaming. She had hit back so hard she had rocked a good dozen of the Eaters into going defensive and the Team had never given that advantage back. Then Harry, goddamn Harry, had stood like Gibraltar and spun that steady stream of hexes, called in support, before going down screaming again. "I see the Nargles are back Ronald. I had thought you sufficiently inoculated but I see you need another application of the treatment." Ron looked into her silver eyes, eyes that could clear and show depths beyond any he had ever seen or glaze to reflect what the watcher expected. Her eyes were clear now. He bent to softly kiss her, swaying gently with her.

The twins were quiet. That was how bad it was. Angelina and Katie just held them. They slumped into a pile on a couch once they got their gear proper and put away. Slowly they began to decompress, and to talk about it, about how it had been, not saying the really bad parts, those were understood. They were stitching together their understanding of the battle. They were finding their mutual history and each other. They had worked together to intimidate Bellatrix into retreating. The mad woman had marked them, she hadn't liked being denied blood and would be out for theirs. Bella's screaming taunts had been silenced by the continuous casting they had managed in pairs. She had stumbled into a full retreat, shocked at the damage output of the Team. Her amazing skill had allowed her to avoid a lot of the damage coming in but she had been totally defensive, taking wounds rapidly, seconds from death and running as fast as she could for cover. Her combat form was flawless, reactions so fast that she almost seemed to be sensing the future and moving before she could possibly know what was coming and how to avoid it. It would be good to kill her. Perhaps even more than Riddle she was a creature of the Dark.

It was a day and more before Harry woke up. Hermione had refused to leave him and that meant that Dobby and Winky were by his side as well. Dobby with the wisdom of a happily married man had decided that Winky should be guarding Hermione and a pair of Manor elves would guard the Grangers. So it was that the elves and Mione were hovering over Harry when his eyes creaked open a slit. "Grmmf." Hermione nodded wisely. "Headache dear?" A slow pained nod. "Water?" Another nod. Then in a ghost of a whisper "Thanks Mione." Knowing by now what he wanted she gave him the casualty figures.

"Combat Team all well, no major injuries other than you. Hogmeade citizens lost three to the Dementors. No losses of Aurors in Hogsmeade, loss of ten at Azkaban. Inner Circle freed from Azkaban and a quick recruiting drive conducted. Lost of most of the new recruits in Hogmeade against the Combat Team along with Rowle an inner circle Death Eater. The Riddle Dementor routed by the combined Patronus of the Combat Team." Harry nodded. "We were lucky again Mione." She nodded back.

"He has to be worried by now Harry. No matter what he tries he can't seem to do anything and he loses resources. He is immortal now but can't use magic. Dementors have only fear and the Kiss as weapons. He can't use a wand. Most of his power is sealed from him by his form and he can't escape it. The spells to control Dementors are known. A large group of Aurors can contain him if not kill him. He picked a bad body for ruling the world. Harry grinned a bit and nodded again. "Tell the Headmaster that Mione, maybe we can lock him up for a bit, until we find a way to destroy the Dementors. They need to die anyway, they are horrible." "He knows love, he has the Order and the Aurors looking now. Dementors don't move that fast. Aurors are shadowing a large group of them that seem to be headed towards London. Once the Aurors have sufficient numbers they will try to control them as they do at Azkaban. Here my dear, have some hot chocolate, we need to keep your strength up.

A good nights sleep and Harry was at breakfast the next day and back in full training the day after. The Aurors had managed to corral the Dementors before they got to a major urban center. No one was sure if the Riddle Dementor was in the group, that kind of close inspection was a death sentence.


End file.
